Midterm vs Presidential Elections: What's the Difference and Why Midterms Matter

Every two years, Americans head to the polls for a federal election. But not all election years are created equal. Presidential elections dominate the news cycle every four years, drawing record turnout and wall-to-wall media coverage. In between, midterm elections decide control of Congress, determine who governs 36 or more states, and shape policy for years to come — yet far fewer voters show up. Understanding the differences between these two types of elections is essential for any engaged citizen, especially as the 2026 midterm elections approach on November 3, 2026.

The Basic Structure: What Is on the Ballot

The most obvious difference between midterm and presidential elections is right in the name: a presidential election includes the race for the White House, while a midterm does not. But beyond that top-line distinction, the two types of elections share many of the same down-ballot contests — and midterms often feature races that have a more direct impact on voters' daily lives.

Presidential Election Ballots

In a presidential election year (2020, 2024, 2028, etc.), voters choose among candidates for President and Vice President. In addition, the ballot typically includes:

• All 435 U.S. House seats — every House member faces re-election every two years, so House races appear on both presidential and midterm ballots.
• Roughly one-third of the U.S. Senate — senators serve six-year terms, so about 33 or 34 seats are up in any given election cycle.
• Gubernatorial races in select states — 11 states and 2 territories hold governor's races in presidential years (e.g., North Carolina, Missouri, Montana in 2024).
• State legislative races, ballot measures, and local offices — these vary by state and locality.

Midterm Election Ballots

In a midterm year (2018, 2022, 2026, etc.), there is no presidential contest, but the ballot still carries enormous weight:

• All 435 U.S. House seats — identical to presidential years.
• Roughly one-third of the U.S. Senate — in 2026, 33 Senate seats are on the ballot, plus any special elections.
• 36 gubernatorial races — the vast majority of governor's races take place during midterms. In 2026, voters in states including Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, Georgia, and Wisconsin will choose their governors.
• Thousands of state legislative seats — midterms are when most state legislatures are decided, directly affecting redistricting, education funding, healthcare policy, and criminal justice.
• Ballot measures — statewide referendums and initiatives on issues like abortion access, marijuana legalization, minimum wage increases, and gun policy frequently appear in midterm years.

Voter Turnout: The Midterm Drop-Off

The single most striking difference between midterms and presidential elections is how many people vote. Historically, midterm turnout runs 15 to 20 percentage points lower than presidential-year turnout. Here are the numbers from recent cycles:

• 2020 (Presidential): Approximately 159.6 million voters, or about 66.6% of the voting-eligible population — the highest turnout rate since 1900.
• 2022 (Midterm): Approximately 112 million voters, or about 46.8% of eligible voters — historically high for a midterm but still nearly 20 points below 2020.
• 2018 (Midterm): About 113.1 million voters, roughly 49.4% turnout — the highest midterm turnout in decades, driven by intense political engagement.
• 2016 (Presidential): About 138.8 million voters, roughly 59.2% turnout.
• 2014 (Midterm): About 83.3 million voters, only 36.7% turnout — the lowest midterm turnout since 1942.

The pattern is consistent: tens of millions of Americans who vote in presidential years simply do not show up for midterms. Young voters, racial and ethnic minorities, and lower-income Americans tend to see the steepest drop-off, which means the midterm electorate looks demographically different from the presidential-year electorate.

Why Midterm Turnout Drops

Several factors contribute to the midterm participation gap:

• No presidential race at the top of the ticket. The presidency is the most visible and heavily covered contest in American politics. Without it, many casual voters feel less urgency.
• Less media saturation. Presidential campaigns generate billions of dollars in advertising and dominate cable news for more than a year. Midterm campaigns receive a fraction of that coverage.
• Voter fatigue and confusion. Some voters are unsure what offices are on the ballot in a midterm year or feel they lack enough information to make informed choices.
• Structural barriers. Registration deadlines, voter ID requirements, limited early voting, and polling-place closures disproportionately suppress turnout when motivation is already lower.

Why Midterms Matter: Real-World Consequences

Despite lower turnout, midterm elections regularly produce outcomes that reshape American governance. Consider these examples:

2018: The Blue Wave in the House

Democrats flipped 40 House seats in 2018, gaining a commanding majority and ending unified Republican control of Congress. This shift gave Democrats subpoena power over the executive branch, blocked additional attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, and set the stage for the first impeachment of President Trump. At the state level, Democrats flipped seven governor's mansions, including Michigan, Wisconsin, Kansas, and Nevada, altering the political landscape heading into the 2020 census and redistricting.

2022: A Historically Unusual Midterm

The party holding the White House almost always loses seats in midterms — the average loss for the president's party since World War II is about 26 House seats. But in 2022, Democrats defied expectations, losing only 9 House seats and actually gaining a Senate seat (expanding from 50 to 51). Analysts attributed the unusual result to voter backlash over the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade, as well as concerns about election-denying candidates. Several ballot measures on abortion rights in states like Kansas, Michigan, California, Vermont, and Kentucky also drove turnout.

2010: The Tea Party Wave

Republicans gained 63 House seats in 2010, the largest midterm swing since 1938. They also gained 6 Senate seats and flipped 6 governor's mansions. This wave gave Republicans control of redistricting in key states after the 2010 census, shaping congressional maps for the following decade. The midterm also effectively ended President Obama's ability to pass major legislation through Congress for the remainder of his term.

How Midterm and Presidential Results Differ

Because the midterm electorate is smaller, older, and whiter than the presidential electorate, midterm results often diverge from presidential-year results in predictable ways:

• The president's party almost always loses ground. Since 1934, the president's party has lost House seats in all but three midterm elections (1934, 1998, and 2002). The average loss is significant enough to frequently flip control of the chamber.
• State-level results can swing dramatically. Governors elected in midterms often face a different electorate than the one that chose the president, leading to split-ticket outcomes. For example, Republican governors have won in deep-blue states like Maryland (Larry Hogan, 2014 and 2018) and Massachusetts (Charlie Baker, 2014 and 2018) during midterms.
• Ballot measures may attract single-issue voters. Measures on hot-button topics like marijuana legalization, minimum wage, or abortion access can alter the composition of the electorate in ways that affect other races on the ballot.

What to Expect in 2026

The 2026 midterms will be the first major national election after the 2024 presidential contest. Key factors to watch:

• All 435 House seats will be on the ballot, and control of the chamber could shift.
• 33 Senate seats are up, including seats in competitive states.
• 36 governor's races will take place, including in battleground states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia, and Arizona.
• Dozens of ballot measures on topics including education funding, gun policy, reproductive rights, and marijuana legalization are expected to qualify across the states.
• State legislative elections will determine which party controls chambers that set policy on everything from voting laws to school curricula.

How to Make Your Midterm Vote Count

Given the lower turnout in midterm elections, individual votes carry more weight than in presidential years. Here are practical steps to prepare:

• Check your registration early. Many states have registration deadlines 15 to 30 days before Election Day. Some states, including Colorado, Michigan, and Minnesota, offer same-day registration.
• Research your full ballot. Use tools like our ballot lookup to see exactly which races and measures you will vote on.
• Know your voting options. Most states now offer early voting, and many allow no-excuse absentee or mail-in voting. Check your state's rules well in advance.
• Pay attention to down-ballot races. Your state legislator, county commissioner, and school board members make decisions that affect your community every day.

The Bottom Line

Presidential elections get the spotlight, but midterm elections are where much of the governing work of American democracy is decided. Congress, governors, state legislatures, and ballot measures all carry real consequences for healthcare, education, taxes, infrastructure, and civil rights. The 2026 midterms on November 3 will be no exception. The voters who show up will shape the direction of the country for years to come — and with turnout historically lower in midterms, every vote carries outsized influence.

Additional Resources

• Find Your Ballot — See exactly what races and measures are on your 2026 ballot
• Poll Tracker — Follow current polling in key Senate, House, and governor races
• How to Register to Vote in 2026 — Step-by-step registration guide for every state
• Early Voting Guide — Dates and rules for early and absentee voting in your state