The Midterm Elections occur every two years, giving voters a chance to pick their members of Congress and candidates for general elections. Congress is the Legislative Branch, making up the House of Representatives and the Senate. The House has 435 members, which are decided by the population of a given area. The Senate has 100 members, 2 from each state. Congressmen come up for election every 2 years. Senators have a 6 year staggering term, with 1/3 of them up for election every 2 years. As the Legislative Branch of our government Congress provides checks and balances on the Executive Branch comprised of the president, VP and the cabinet. Changes in Congress can really impact changes in our government by shifting power and affecting the way things run.
The Midterm Elections give you the power to decide which party controls the House and the Senate. In many ways this is almost as important as winning the presidency, because the majority party, Democrat or Republican, will pass or not pass a bill brought up for vote.
The General Election involves other races that are also on the ballot, such as Gubernatorial races for Governors, along with their state officials who serve under them like Secretary of State, Attorney General, and Lieutenant Governor. State and County Judges also fall under this category.
Find out what's happening in Long Islandfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
On November 3rd, 2026 New Yorkers will be voting for Governor and Lt Gov, along with House Reps and judges.
Absentee ballot requests submitted in person deadline is 6/22/26, returned by 6/23/26.
Find out what's happening in Long Islandfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Early voting is now going on for primaries, started 6/13/26 ending 6/21/26. Primary Election day is Tuesday June 23rd. To see if you're in a district with primaries you can check with the NY State Board of Elections.
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