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5 things you should know about midterms.

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5 Things You Should Know About Midterm Elections

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Compared to the UK system.

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The US Government is divided into three clearly defined branches - the president and his cabinet (the executive), the US Congress (the legislature) and the courts (the judiciary).

The separation of powers is designed to provide a system of checks and balances which prevent any individual or group from gaining too much control.
What is the US Congress and how does it work?
Like the British Parliament, the US Congress decides and makes the laws that govern America. It also has the power to impeach the President and remove them from office.

The US Congress is made up of an upper chamber, known as the Senate, and a lower chamber known as the the House of Representatives.

Both houses are based at the Capitol Building in Washington, DC.

Americans will elect members to both houses as as well as electing a President and Vice President on the election day tomorrow.
HOW DOES THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE WORK? What is the Senate and how does it work?
The Senate is formed of 100 senators - two for each state - and its main role is to approve legislation suggested by the House of Representatives.

Once approved by the Senate, the President must then pass any legislation - although Congress can re-pass legislation if there is a two-thirds majority.

A Senate term is six years, but unlike the presidency there is no limit to the number of terms an individual can serve.
HOW TO WATCH THE US ELECTION RESULTS LIVE IN THE UK What is the House of Representatives and how does it work?
The House of Representatives is made up of 435 voting members, with an additional six non-voting Representatives.

The House has the exclusive power to initiate revenue bills and to impeach officials who are then tried in the Senate.

If there is a dead heat in the presidential election, the House will decide who becomes President and the Senate elects the Vice President.
HOW DOES THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE WORK? What powers does the US President have?
The President has the power to veto laws passed by Congress and nominate a cabinet which is approved by the Senate.

Upon inauguration, either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton will become the head of state, leader of the Government, and commander-in-chief of the US army.

As well as approving laws from Congress, the President can also propose legislation for the houses to approve.

He or she will usually set out a legislative agenda at the annual State of the Union adress, which both houses attend.

The president is limited to two four-year terms in office.
US ELECTION: WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? What powers do the courts have?
The US court system is made up of the Supreme Court and Federal Courts.

The President appoints nine Supreme Court judges, with the Senate giving final approval.

The justices of the Supreme Court can overturn laws they rule are unconstitutional.

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US political system: How does it work? Senate, House of Representatives and more explained

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The US Government is divided into three clearly defined branches - the president and his cabinet (the executive), the US Congress (the legislature) and the courts (the judiciary). The separation of powers is designed to provide a system of checks and balances which prevent any individual or group from gaining too much control.

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Will the outcome Affect Trump's presidency?

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Gubernatorial elections

Governors hold powerful positions since they control huge budgets and implement their state's laws.

Before Tuesday, Republicans controlled 33 out of 50 governorships and two-thirds of 99 state legislature chambers.

Some 36 governorships were being elected this November and Democrats were targeting the 23 which have Republican incumbents up for re-election.

Key races to watch were in Ohio, Michigan, Florida and Pennsylvania - key swing states in the presidential elections. Governors in those states will be crucial to mobilising party activists and raising donations for the 2020 race.

How will they affect Donald Trump's presidency?

The elections will shape US politics for at least the next two years.

A Republican-controlled Congress would have made the final two years of Mr Trump's first term much smoother - giving him the power to continue funding his border wall with Mexico, pass further tax cuts and make another attempt to repeal Obamacare.

With Democrats set to regain control in the House, they will fiercely oppose a number of Mr Trump's key policies.

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US midterm elections 2018: Why these congressional elections matter

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Governors hold powerful positions since they control huge budgets and implement their state's laws. Before Tuesday, Republicans controlled 33 out of 50 governorships and two-thirds of 99 state legislature chambers. Some 36 governorships were being elected this November and Democrats were targeting the 23 which have Republican incumbents up for re-election.

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Who runs for the House and the Senate?

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Lt. Gov. Senate House District 1 District 2 District 3 District 4 District 5 District 6 District 7 District 8 District 9 District 10 District 11 District 12 District 13 District 14 District 15

José Serrano (D) - No site

Jason Gonzalez (R) - No site

District 16 District 17 District 18 District 19 District 20 District 21 District 22 District 23 District 24 District 25 District 26 District 27 VIDEO: 60 Seconds With State Senate Candidates Jen Metzger (D) and Annie Rabbitt (R) AARP asked the candidates for New York's 42nd District how they would improve the longevity economy and improve transportation options, whether they would provide tax credits for caregivers, and how they would support home- and community-based services for seniors as well as improved housing accessibility.
QUESTION 1: Americans aged 50 and older contribute more than $7 trillion to the US economy and in New York that amounts to more than $704 billion. What will you do to ensure that older consumers will want to remain in New York and to foster their continued economic contributions to the state's economy?

QUESTION 2: The federal government is gearing up to conduct the 2020 census which is critically important. Low-income, rural and multicultural communities have been historically undercounted and the Census Bureau does not have sufficient funding to conduct adequate outreach activities for the 2020 census. Would you support state funding to conduct outreach activities to ensure that all New Yorkers are accurately counted?

QUESTION 3: Americans over 65 are the fastest-growing segment of the population in the U.S. and research shows that most want to remain in their homes and communities as they age. Having access to safe walkable streets for people of all ages is an important part of that. What would you do to ensure that transportation options are safe, affordable, and user friendly? In order to reduce pedestrian fatalities in New York, would you support updating New York's "Complete Streets" law to include more projects that are currently being exempted from the requirements of the law?

QUESTION 4: Would you support providing a state income tax credit to family caregivers who use their own money to care for an older parent, spouse or other family member living with them?

QUESTION 5: How will you expand services and supports that allow seniors to live independently in their homes and communities?

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Know Your Candidates for the Midterm Elections

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State by state + candidates

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The candidates for the most competitive Senate elections in the 2018 midterms are now set, and while Democrats will need a near-perfect November to win back control of the chamber, a fresh assessment of the Senate battlefield reveals that they should have several opportunities to pick up the seats they need.

Democrats always had an uphill climb to retaking the Senate. Ten Democrats are up for reelection in states that Donald Trump won in 2016. Right now, Republicans are clinging to a 51-49 majority.

Democrats will still need to win most or all of West Virginia, North Dakota, Missouri, Montana, Indiana, and Florida - and then win the Republican-held seats in Nevada, Arizona, and maybe even Tennessee or Texas - in order to win the 51 seats they need.

Still, going by the polling averages, 10 Senate races look legitimately competitive heading into the final two months of the 2018 campaign. Others could still prove to be closer than they appear - Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) is an obvious candidate to see her race tighten, and Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ), fresh off a mistrial on some corruption charges, has had some worryingly close polls - but we're leaving them off for now.

Here they are: 2018's most competitive Senate elections, ranked by how tight the race is according to the current Real Clear Politics polling average.

Missouri: Claire McCaskill vs. Josh Hawley

Who is the Democrat? Claire McCaskill, elected in 2006. Todd Akin slayer. Cancer survivor.

Who is the Republican? State Attorney General Josh Hawley.

H ow much does the state like Trump? Trump got 56 percent in 2016. These days, he is a little more divisive: 52 percent approval and 44 percent disapproval, according to Morning Consult. McCaskill has 40 percent approval and 44 percent disapproval, the firm found in July.

What's interesting about this race, anyway? Missouri's Republican governor, Eric Greitens, was ensnared in several different scandals - one in which he's accused of sexual misconduct, another involving a veterans' charity - before he was forced to resign in May. Republicans in the state desperately wanted him out, none more so than Hawley, who was doing everything he could to remove Greitens. McCaskill is vulnerable, as evidenced by her approval rating, but a state GOP tainted by scandal could be a boost to her chances.

What does the polling say? This is the tightest race by polling average: Just 0.4 points separates Hawley from McCaskill, with the Republican currently in the lead, according to Real Clear Politics. Cook Political Report rates it a toss-up.

Nevada: Dean Heller vs. Jacky Rosen

Who is the Republican? Dean Heller, who was appointed to the Senate in 2011. Perhaps the biggest loser of the Obamacare repeal debate, after he stood beside extremely popular Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval and said he wouldn't support any plan that Sandoval didn't - and then, a few months later, did exactly that.

Who is the Democrat? Rep. Jacky Rosen. First elected to Congress in 2016.

H ow much does the state like Trump? Heller holds the unfortunate-for-him distinction of being the only Senate Republican up for reelection in a state that Hillary Clinton won. Plus, Nevada is a state with an increasingly active Latino- and labor-dominated Democratic base. Trump is underwater: 45 percent approval, 51 percent disapproval. Heller himself is looking at 37 percent approval and 40 percent disapproval.

What's interesting about this race, anyway? Obamacare repeal was a debacle for Heller. First, he held a press conference with Sandoval and proudly declared that for his state, which had expanded Medicaid to cover tens of thousands of poor people, the governor's opinion would be the deciding factor - and Sandoval did not support repeal. But then after some browbeating from Trump and some reports that outside GOP money would help out Heller if he went along with the party, the senator ended up voting for several different repeal plans.

This is in a state that voted for Clinton, 48 percent to 46 percent, over Trump. The road was already hard for Heller. He didn't make it any easier on himself.

What does the polling say? Rosen has built a 2.3-point average lead, according to RCP. It's a toss-up.

Florida: Bill Nelson vs. Rick Scott

Who is the Democrat? Bill Nelson. Elected way back in 2000. Space traveler.

Who is the Republican? Republican Gov. Rick Scott, who is a pretty awkward human being but a pretty popular governor nevertheless. Notably stood up to the National Rifle Association after the Parkland high school shooting, which even Democrats give him credit for. Scott is also very, very, very rich and willing to spend his own money on campaigns.

H ow much does the state like Trump? Trump eked out a 49-47 win in 2016. These days, he has 50 percent approval and 45 percent disapproval. Nelson looks solid: 44 percent approval and 34 percent disapproval.

What's interesting about this race, anyway? These guys are really boring. Even their ostensible allies in the state say so. This race is all about money: Scott has a lot of it, he has nothing else to spend it on, and Nelson needs to keep up. So far, Scott has outspent Nelson by a 4-to-1 margin - the Democratic senator only recently went up on the state's television airwaves.

There are some interesting twists, such as the political residue from Parkland and Puerto Ricans relocating here after Hurricane Maria. But cash rules everything around Miami.

(One wild card: Does excitement about Andrew Gillum, the Democratic nominee for governor and the first black Floridian to be nominated for governor, give an extra boost to the Democratic ticket? The first post-primary poll found Gillum with a solid lead and dragging Nelson to a narrow 1-point advantage over Scott.)

What does the polling say? Scott had jumped out to a small but consistent lead with his ginormous spending advantage, but the tide has turned in recent weeks. Right now, Nelson is back in front with a 2.4-point lead, on average, in the polling. Another toss-up.

Indiana: Joe Donnelly vs. Mike Braun

Who is the Democrat? Joe Donnelly, elected to the Senate in 2012. Former US representative.

Who is the Republican? State legislator Mike Braun topped Reps. Todd Rokita and Luke Messer in the May 8 primary.

H ow much does the state like Trump? This is Vice President Mike Pence's home state, remember. Trump won with 56 percent of the vote in 2016. He looks okay right now in the Hoosier state: 51 percent approval and 45 percent disapproval. Donnelly is sitting at 41 percent approval and 34 percent disapproval.

What's interesting about this race, anyway? Donnelly's campaign announcements are really wonderful. A few recent samples from my inbox:

Joe Donnelly, Indiana Republicans launch 'Republicans for Joe' in Indianapolis

New TV ad highlights Joe's successes putting Hoosiers before political party

Joe Donnelly has the bipartisan appeal he needs, Washington Examiner says

This is a man who will remind you he is a Democrat only when absolutely necessary, which is probably smart in the Hoosier State. He'll embrace his party on one issue, though: Donnelly is another vulnerable Democrat who is running hard on preserving Obamacare's protections for people with preexisting conditions. Here are a couple other recent emails:

Head down and working hard, Donnelly fights to protect preexisting conditions protections, Daily Beast says

"Hoosiers are waiting for an answer" on Rep. Braun's preexisting condition hypocrisy, Joe Donnelly says in new video

What does the polling say? This is one of the least-polled races around, and we've seen everything from Braun up 1 point to Donnelly leading by 12, which is hard to believe. It works out to a 2.5-point average lead for the Democratic incumbent, according to RCP. Another race for the toss-up pile, per Cook.

Tennessee: Marsha Blackburn vs. Phil Bredesen

Who is the Republican? Sen. Bob Corker is retiring. Stepping up to replace him is Rep. Marsha Blackburn. First elected way back in 2002. Notably led the special House GOP committee to investigate Planned Parenthood.

Who is the Democrat? Former Gov. Phil Bredesen. Served two terms, leaving office in 2011. Mayor of Nashville before that.

H ow much does the state like Trump? We're back in comfortable Trump territory. The president has 56 percent approval and 40 percent disapproval.

What's interesting about this race, anyway? Bredesen has been out of politics for the better part of a decade, but the last time he did run here, he won 69 percent of the vote. Bob Corker even likes the guy.

Blackburn is a solid, pro-Trump conservative in all respects, though it'll be interesting to see how abortion plays out here - she's a darling of the anti-abortion crowd and a top villain among abortion rights groups.

What does the polling say? Bredesen had been holding onto a small lead in the RCP average for most of the summer, but Blackburn has had several strong polls in the last weeks. She currently holds an average 2.7-point lead. Cook says this is a toss-up.

Montana: Jon Tester vs. Matt Rosendale

Who is the Democrat? Jon Tester. Elected in 2006. He's pretty moderate (see this banking bill), but he's been more willing than some other Democrats in red-leaning states to confront Trump.

Who is the Republican? Maryland accent-haver Matt Rosendale. First elected to Montana's state legislature in 2010.

H ow much does the state like Trump? Trump in 2016: 56 percent. Trump now: 51 percent approval, 46 percent disapproval. Tester: 50 percent approval, 36 percent disapproval.

What's interesting about this race, anyway? Did you see Tester's approval rating? Montanans like this guy. The main wild card is how much Trump himself intervenes - especially after Tester helped sink the president's Veterans Affair nominee, Ronny Jackson. The president started going after Tester pretty hard.

Secret Service has just informed me that Senator Jon Tester's statements on Admiral Jackson are not true. There were no such findings. A horrible thing that we in D.C. must live with, just like phony Russian Collusion. Tester should lose race in Montana. Very dishonest and sick!
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 28, 2018

What does the polling say? Tester is maintaining a 3-point lead in the RCP average. But Cook has moved his race all the way from Likely Democratic to toss-up, as Montana's deep-red nature starts to even the playing field.

Arizona: Martha McSally vs. Kyrsten Sinema

Who is the Republican? Jeff Flake is retiring. Mainstream favorite Martha McSally, in Congress since 2014, prevailed pretty easily in a vicious GOP primary against conservative insurgent Kelli Ward and anti-immigrant, Trump pardon-receiving ex-sheriff Joe Arpaio.

Who is the Democrat? Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, elected in 2012. She served in the state legislature before that.

H ow much does the state like Trump? Trump squeaked out a 49-46 win in 2016 - and it was immediately on the 2018 Democratic radar. Arizona is evenly divided on the president: 48 percent approval and 48 percent disapproval.

What's interesting about this race, anyway? Flake, you may remember, has given some very stern Senate floor speeches warning us what a danger to the republic Trump is, while voting for his agenda almost every time. Still, it's an odd dynamic to have the outgoing Republican senator be such a noted critic of Trump.

McSally is one of the few Republican woman who isn't afraid to focus on her gender, revealing she was sexually abused in high school and emphasizing her history as the first female fighter pilot in combat.

What does the polling say? Right now, Sinema is holding a 3.4-point average lead, according to RCP. It's been narrowing: McSally is a strong candidate, and the Republican establishment is excited about her. Cook rates this race a toss-up, too.

Texas: Ted Cruz vs. Beto O'Rourke

Who is the Republican? Sen. Ted Cruz, the one Republican who came the closest to toppling Trump in the 2016 primaries. Star of the failed 2013 government shutdown over Obamacare.

Who is the Democrat? Rep. Beto O'Rourke, who is as handsome as Ted Cruz is conservative. He was first elected in 2012.

H ow much does the state like Trump? Trump won here by the narrowest margin for a Republican in 20 years. He looks okay now: 52 percent approval and 44 percent disapproval. Cruz himself is faring better: 48 percent approval and 35 percent disapproval. Texas likes Ted.

What's interesting about this race, anyway? Ah, the dream of purple Texas. Democrats keep convincing themselves they're this close to winning statewide here and turning a Republican stronghold into a swing state. But so far, they haven't been able to do it. Beto (we call him Beto) is the hero tasked with the job in 2018.

As for the campaign itself, well, Cruz's campaign is attacking O'Rourke for allegedly making his name sound more Hispanic, which a few people have pointed out was weird for a guy whose first name is Rafael but goes by Ted. Then Beto wanted to debate Cruz in Spanish.

Next, there were the Texas GOP's weird tweets recently that sought to portray O'Rourke as maybe a slacker loser who wouldn't debate Cruz but ended up making the Democrat look very handsome and maybe kind of cool? It's been a strange campaign so far, but it's maybe the most closely watched race in the country, given Texas and Cruz's high profile.

O'Rourke is also raising a lot of money, though more recently, outside conservative groups have said they'll start spending heavily in the Lone Star State.

What does the polling say? Texas also keeps getting attention because Cruz can't seem to establish a consistent lead that's larger than low-to-mid single digits. RCP currently gives Cruz a 6-point lead on average. Cook has moved the Texas race into the toss-up category, which kind of says it all.

North Dakota: Heidi Heitkamp vs. Kevin Cramer

Who is the Democrat? Heidi Heitkamp, elected in 2012. She is a former state attorney general.

Who is the Republican? Rep. Kevin Cramer. Cramer was going to run, then he wasn't, but now he is definitely running after a little bit of jostling from the Washington GOP establishment. They wanted a good candidate against Heitkamp; this is a top Republican target.

H ow much does the state like Trump? Trump in 2016: 63 percent. But the president's approval is dropping: 50 percent approval and 46 percent disapproval. Heitkamp: 44 percent approval, 44 percent disapproval.

What's interesting about this race, anyway? With Cramer in, Republicans feel very confident about their chances. He's allied himself closely with Trump, particularly on key state issues like energy. Heitkamp cuts an independent image, and she is running on her support for Obamacare's preexisting conditions protections after Cramer voted to repeal the health care law in the House.

This is also where Trump's trade war could hurt Republicans, though: The president's approval rating has been dropping, and it's been a focus of Heitkamp's campaign so far.

Cramer also has a tendency to put his foot directly in his mouth, most recently on Brett Kavanaugh's nomination and the #MeToo movement. Heitkamp, meanwhile, ended up opposing Trump's divisive Supreme Court nominee and has talked about her mother's sexual assault. North Dakota is a contrast between strong Republican fundamentals and a pretty credible Democratic incumbent.

What does the polling say? Cramer has pulled away in the polling, taking an 8.7-point average lead, according to RCP. But Cook hasn't moved it out of the toss-up category yet.

West Virginia: Joe Manchin vs. Patrick Morrisey

Who is the Democrat? Joe Manchin, elected to the Senate in 2010. He was governor and secretary of state before that. Maybe the most conservative Democrat in the Senate and a towering figure in West Virginia politics.

Who is the Republican? State Attorney General Patrick Morrisey prevailed in the May 8 primary, beating Don Blankenship, a former coal baron who ran a company found to be violating federal safety regulations when a mining accident killed 29 people, and avoiding a disaster for DC Republicans. Morrisey ran on his record as attorney general, where he sued the Obama administration repeatedly over environmental regulations and other federal rules, positioning himself as the conservative outsider in the race.

H ow much does the state like Trump? Trump won with 68 percent of the vote, his highest margin in the country. His approval rating is still 63 percent, the highest of any state. Manchin's approval rating is okay: 45 percent approval, 43 percent disapproval.

What's interesting about this race, anyway? Manchin has a strong history with the state, though his brand of centrism might risk alienating actual progressives in the year of the Resistance. He was the only Democrat to vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh.

Morrisey seems like a replacement-level Republican, to be quite honest, and he was attacked in the GOP primary for being a bit of a carpetbagger and for his family's links to an opioid manufacturer. But, in a boon for Republicans, Blankenship won't be on the November ballot.

Here's the vibe in West Virginia right now: "There's a very strong anti-establishment sentiment in West Virginia, and there's also an 'it can't get any worse' sentiment," Patrick Hickey, a political science professor at West Virginia University, told me earlier this year. "We're just trying to shake it up."

What does the polling say? Manchin has built a very strong lead in the polls: 9.4 points, according to RCP, and Cook has slid the race into the Lean Democrat column. But we had to include it because of Trump's popularity here.

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The 10 most important Senate elections, briefly explained

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The candidates for the most competitive Senate elections in the 2018 midterms are now set, and while Democrats will need a near-perfect November to win back control of the chamber, a fresh assessment of the Senate battlefield reveals that they should have several opportunities to pick up the seats they need.

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How can it affect the political future?

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The US 2018 midterm elections are approaching, and both Republicans and Democrats are vying for control of Congress.

While midterm elections generally garner lower numbers of voter turnout and participation than general elections do, a study has revealed that voter turnout has increased in primary elections across the country this year.

According to the Pew Research Centre, half of the registered voters have reported to be more enthusiastic about voting in 2018 than in previous years - and turnout at the polls had surged in primary elections held across 31 states. Namely, the total number of votes cast in Democratic primaries for the US House were 84 per cent higher in July than at the same point in the 2014 midterm primaries.

The surge in voter participation is likely a reflection of the high stakes in the November midterm elections this year. Democrats are vying to win a House majority, with a narrow path to take back control of the Senate.

Furthermore, states will hold key races for governor and state legislature seats in midterm elections across the US.

The outcome of the elections will be significant for the future of Donald Trump's presidency, and for Republican and Democratic legislative agendas alike.
How do midterm elections work?
Midterm elections occur halfway between presidential elections, which occur every four years.

All 435 members of the House of Representatives are up for election every two years, with one-third of the Senate up for election. Members of the Senate serve staggered six-year terms.

Fifty-one seats are needed for control of Senate and 218 are needed for the House.
What do midterm elections mean for the overall US political landscape?
Midterm elections can have a significant impact on the general political landscape of the US.

With control of Congress swaying either way, each party could have the advantage to pass their legislative agendas - or to block opposing agendas and the president's Supreme Court nominees from being confirmed.

Additionally, gubernatorial elections could have momentous implications on the rights to vote for millions of citizens. Florida, for example, is one of the few states that permanently strips voting rights from people convicted of a felony. Nearly 1.5 million Floridians have been disenfranchised as a result.

Since Florida Governor Rick Scott took office in 2011, he reversed efforts by his predecessor to restore the right to vote to former felons with nonviolent convictions, making it markedly more difficult for ex-felons to have their voting rights restored.
What effects will the 2018 midterm elections have on the future of Trump's presidency?
Some of Mr Trump's key agendas and campaign promises could be revived if Republicans hold control of Congress. The US president has vehemently promised to repeal and replace Obamacare, for example, which Republican senators failed to do last year.

Republicans could put forth another repeal effort should the party hold the majority in both chambers.

Conversely, with a Democrat majority, party members could block a number of measures put forth by Republicans by preventing them from being enacted.

Perhaps most importantly, if the Democrats were to take control of the House it would allow them to launch impeachment proceedings against Mr Trump - something the president is very keen to avoid.
When are the 2018 midterm elections?
The congressional elections will be held on Tuesday, 6, November. Dozens of elections for governorships, as well as local mayoral and state legislative chamber elections, will also be held on the same date.

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What are the US midterms and how important are they?

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The US 2018 midterm elections are approaching, and both Republicans and Democrats are vying for control of Congress. While midterm elections generally garner lower numbers of voter turnout and participation than general elections do, a study has revealed that voter turnout has increased in primary elections across the country this year.