What We Should Know as America Heads Toward the Midterms

During my years in the United States, the length of the ballot was one of the things that surprised me most. Even without a presidential election, voters can face several pages: representatives, senators, governors, state legislators, county sheriffs, school boards, and a yes-or-no question on a local tax. Neighbors often discussed their children’s school budget or a road project more than the presidential contest.

America will go to the polls again next month. The November 3 midterms attract less attention than a presidential election but will do much to determine the next two years. That is what we often overlook from here.

What is on the ballot?

All 435 seats in the House of Representatives are up for election. Members serve two-year terms, so every midterm renews the whole chamber. Senators serve staggered six-year terms: 33 seats are scheduled for regular elections this year, with two special elections bringing the total to 35. Elections for governors in 36 states, hundreds of state legislative seats, and numerous local referendums add to the picture.

The president appears very powerful in the American system, but Congress passes budgets and laws and authorizes spending. The Senate confirms important appointments, including ambassadors; treaty approval requires a two-thirds Senate majority. The balance after the midterms directly affects how easily a president can pursue a program. A president’s party has often lost seats in midterms, but each election has its own conditions and is difficult to predict.

This has a significant counterpart for Türkiye. The executive branch notifies Congress of major arms sales, and Congress can review and, where applicable, block them. Türkiye’s F-16 purchase approved through that process in early 2024 offers a recent example. The law underlying CAATSA sanctions imposed on Türkiye in 2020 also came from Congress in 2017. Defense, trade, and sanctions discussions between Ankara and Washington over the next two years will therefore depend on the Congress formed after November 3 as well as the White House.

The economic side is similar. Tariffs, sanctions arrangements, and rules governing energy and technology exports can take legislative form in Congress. These decisions touch daily life for a Turkish exporter selling to America, a student studying there, or an engineer working there.

For American citizens living in Türkiye

Some voters in this election live in Türkiye. Many people residing here who also hold American citizenship can vote from abroad through the state of their last residence. The Federal Post Card Application allows them to register and request an absentee ballot. The U.S. government’s fvap.gov site lists each state’s rules and deadlines. Many states can send ballots electronically, but the permitted return method and deadline vary by state.

With a month remaining, these steps may still be possible, although some deadlines are close. Interested readers should promptly check their own state’s rules through official information. Registered voters can also track whether a ballot has been received online in many states.

These elections matter to the Turkish community in America as well. Over time, more Americans of Turkish background have stood for local roles ranging from municipal councils to school boards. In communities I knew, schools, safety, taxes, and health insurance attracted the most interest. Such local choices shape family life alongside the major arguments in Washington.

We should not expect every result to be final on election night. States complete counting mailed ballots on different timetables, and close races can take several days to resolve. The new balance in Congress will take effect when its new term begins in January.