The United States votes this Tuesday, but not to elect a president. The midterms decide who controls its Parliament and can change the White House’s room for maneuver. To follow the results, it is necessary to understand two different elections: the House of Representatives and the Senate.
1. What does midterms mean?
It means midterm elections. They are held between two presidential elections, when the president has been governing for approximately two years. The 2026 ones come after the 2024 presidential elections and before those of 2028.
2. What is being elected this year?
The 435 members of the House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 senators. Governors are also elected in 36 states and numerous state and local offices. That is why the ballots change depending on where each voter lives.
3. What is the United States Congress?
It is its Parliament and it has two chambers: Representatives and Senate. Both take part in the approval of laws. A party can control one and lose the other: there are two majorities to watch, not a single national winner.
4. How is the House of Representatives elected?
The country is divided into 435 districts, each with one seat. Citizens vote for candidates from their district. The more populous states have more representatives: the seats are not distributed according to each party’s national percentage.
5. And how is the Senate elected?
Each state has two senators, regardless of its population. California and Wyoming have the same weight. Senators serve six-year terms and are renewed in groups: this year 33 ordinary seats and two through special elections are being contested.
6. Is voting direct or are there electors?
You vote directly for the candidates to Congress. The Electoral College belongs to the presidential elections. In most of these contests, the one who gets the most votes wins, although some states have special rules, such as a runoff or ranked-choice voting.
7. How many seats are needed to win?
In the House, 218 of 435 give the absolute majority. In the Senate, 51 ensure the majority; a tie at 50 favors the Republicans because the vice president, JD Vance, can break the tie. Here, the senators who are not running this year also count.
8. What changes if Trump loses one chamber?
The opposition can block laws and exercise greater parliamentary oversight. If it wins the Senate, it can also block appointments that need its approval, including those of federal judges. Trump retains the presidency: losing the midterms does not remove him from office.
9. Why do a few districts matter so much?
Because many have a clear favorite and others are decided by small differences. Those competitive districts can tip the majority. Adding more votes across the United States does not guarantee getting more seats: where you win matters.
10. When will we see the results in Spain?
During the night from Tuesday 3 to Wednesday 4 November. The first closings arrive at midnight, Spanish peninsular time. The count continues into the early hours and some contests can take days. Those elected will take their seats in January 2027. from key 10 to the Demócrata live when it is published and from key 8 to the analysis of what Trump is at stake.