3:26 a.m. ET, November 8, 2022
Here's your guide to how the US midterm elections work
From CNN's Zachary B. Wolf and Ethan Cohen
Here’s a quick
lay of the land as you join us to follow the US midterm elections.
When is Election Day?
US elections are held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November every other year. Election Day 2022 is on November 8.
Who votes?
American citizens over the age of 18 can vote. Some states make exceptions for people convicted of felony and some states require voters to register.
Americans can also vote early — in person or by mail.
Eight US states and the District of Columbia mail every voter a ballot. Some others allow early voting for everyone, and others require an excuse, although almost anyone can do some form of early voting (in person or by mail.)
Who is being elected?
The US Congress has two legislative bodies — the Senate and the House.
Lawmakers elected to the Senate are called senators and they serve six-year terms. There are federal elections every two years. The seats are broken up into three classes, and about a third of the Senate is on the ballot every two years. The 2022 election features Class III senators. See the
race ratings by Inside Elections.
However, those elected to the House of Representatives are up for election every two years. Putting House members up for election every two years allows voters more direct and immediate control of the direction of their government since it’s the piece of federal government closest to the people.
Some state governors are also up for election in 2022. Each state treats its governors slightly differently. Forty-eight of the 50 US states elect governors to four-year terms. Two states, New Hampshire and Vermont, elect governors to two-year terms. Most states, 36 of them, hold their governor elections in midterm election years between presidential elections. Three states, Kentucky, Mississippi and Louisiana, elect governors in off-year elections the year before a presidential election. Two states, New Jersey and Virginia, elect governors in off-year elections the year after a presidential election.
What is the balance of power?
Political parties have more power when they control the House or Senate by winning a majority of the seats in that chamber. The party in power controls committees that write legislation and decides which measures will get a vote on the floor. In the House, the party with at least 218 seats has the majority and, assuming it can unite behind one candidate, selects the Speaker of the House. In the Senate, the party with 51 votes has the majority.
Will we know who wins on Election Day?
Don’t count on final answers in every race on election night. With so many people voting early and by mail and so many close elections, there’s a good chance that it will take days or weeks to figure out who won some races. The margins of power in both the House and Senate are close enough that it could take days to know who will have a majority of seats.