Mid-Term Elections / Casualty List (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms

Mid-Term Elections / Casualty List

Puck Wants "A Strong Man at the Head of Government"—But Not This Kind. Puck, Feb. 4, 1880
Puck Wants "A Strong Man at the Head of Government"—But Not This Kind. Puck, Feb. 4, 1880

Mid-term elections / Midterm Elections are the national elections held in November of the even-numbered years between presidential elections. Mid-term election years include 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026, etc. Presidential elections are held very 4 years, including 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024, 2028, etc.

Federal law (2 U.S.C. § 7) designates the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, in even-numbered years, as election day for federal offices. Before election day, in each biennial cycle, the major political parties (and perhaps smaller parties) in each state will have held various kinds of conventions, and many states will have held major-party primaries and perhaps runoffs. Nearly all aspects of election administration are the responsibility of the individual states; Congress has not extensively exercised its constitutional authority to regulate federal election administration.

 


Congressional Elections: Crash Course Government and Politics #6

 

Members of Congress who are elected in the biennial federal elections begin their congressional service in the next Congress that starts the following January of the following odd-numbered year. For example, new members elected in November 2018, will begin their service in January 2019, in the First Session of the 116th Congress. See Terms and Sessions of Congress.

Members of the House serve two-year terms (Article. I. Section. 2.), while Senators are elected to six-year terms (Article. I. Section. 3.). See Senate Classes: Terms of Service.

The House press gallery maintains on its web site a “casualty list” of members of Congress who are retiring or running for other office in the next election.

 


Explainer: What Are Midterm Elections?

 

Also see: Reapportionment / Redistricting; Senate Classes: Terms of Service; Terms and Sessions of Congress; “The seven stages of the office seeker“.

 

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