The vote to determine the next makeup of Congress comes as the country faces intense political polarization and amid widespread concerns about a struggling economy, reproductive rights and the future of democracy itself. The results will also set the tone for the final two years of Democratic President Joe Biden’s term, as a strong Republican showing could upend his domestic and foreign policy plans. Here, Al Jazeera presents everything you need to know:
What are the intermediates?
Midterm elections take place two years after a presidential election, midway through a US president’s four-year term. On November 8, all 435 seats in the US House of Representatives will be contested, while 35 Senators will be elected. Although Biden’s name will not be on any ballot, “the midterms are, at least in part, a referendum on the performance of the current president,” Alan Abramovich, a political science professor at Emory University, recently told Al Jazeera. Read US Midterms 101 explained here.
What are the key issues?
Ahead of Tuesday’s vote, many Republican candidates have focused on the economy as Americans struggle amid rising costs of living. Democrats, for their part, hope that defending reproductive rights and democratic institutions will translate into support at the ballot box. Overall, the economy, abortion, immigration and democracy were the main topics of debate before the midterms. Find a full rundown of the key issues – and where each party stands – here.
What economic issues are voters concerned about?
For months, people in the US have expressed concerns about soaring inflation, fueled in part by global crises such as the war in Ukraine. A Monmouth University poll from early October found that 82 percent of Americans said inflation was an “extremely or very important” issue for the government to address — making it the top issue on their radar ahead of the midterms. Here, Al Jazeera breaks down the top five economic issues to watch as US voters tell us how the rising costs of everything from petrol to groceries are affecting their daily lives.
What was said about immigration?
Many Republicans have adopted strong, anti-immigrant language throughout the midterm campaign, seeking to blame Democrats for large numbers of asylum seekers arriving at the US southern border with Mexico. Read more here about how the GOP hopes its tough stance on immigration will rally support.
Will the interim results have an impact beyond the US?
The midterm campaigns focused largely on domestic issues. But the results will affect the rest of Biden’s first term as president, including how the president approaches key foreign policy issues like Ukraine. More specifically, experts told Al Jazeera last month that Republican gains could exacerbate questions about whether Washington’s robust support for the Ukrainian government will continue in the face of Russia’s invasion. Read more here.
What matches should we watch?
With 35 Senate seats up for grabs on Tuesday, Republicans are pushing to regain control of the key chamber of Congress. While many of these seats are in Republican or Democratic strongholds where each party’s respective candidates are almost certain to win, some contests are expected to be extremely close — especially in so-called swing states. Take a look at the 10 key Senate games to watch.
Are there other key positions up for grabs?
Arizona, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin: These are just a few of the 36 US states electing their next governors on November 8. In some key states, these governors will have a lot of influence on key issues that have dominated the election cycle, such as abortion rights and access to voting. Here, Al Jazeera looks at the key governor races to watch.
How many people are expected to vote?
Fewer eligible voters typically vote in US midterm elections compared to presidential elections. But the last midterm contest in 2018 was marked by higher-than-usual turnout, according to the U.S. Census, which registered an 11 percent increase from 2014. The Census Bureau said 53 percent of eligible voters turned out in 2018, “the highest interim turnout in four decades.” Al Jazeera USA’s interim infographics are here to help break it all down.
Are there any barriers to voting?
In recent years, several US states have enacted restrictions on voting. These include restrictions on mail-in ballots and measures that rights advocates say continue a long history of disenfranchising black voters. Ahead of the midterms, social justice groups are pushing to expand access to voting and election materials for people held in U.S. prisons. Read more about this effort here. Meanwhile, Al Jazeera recently spoke to Joshua Ang Price, a former election commissioner in Arkansas’ largest district, about how barriers to voting have affected marginalized communities in the US state.
Will the interim results tell us anything else about the US political climate?
Democrats say the future of US democracy is at risk as Republicans have nominated dozens of candidates challenging the country’s 2020 presidential election, which Biden won over former President Donald Trump. Al Jazeera recently spoke to experts who said that while the US system makes it extremely unlikely that these candidates will influence future contests, electoral refusal poses a threat: the erosion of public trust in democratic institutions. Read all about it here.
