Two years into Donald Trump’s second term, Americans are voting on who controls Congress. Here’s how the midterms work, and why the result matters well beyond the U.S.
The U.S. holds federal elections every two years. Presidential elections happen every four years, and the elections in between are known as the midterms, because they fall in the middle of a president’s term.
The president isn’t on the ballot, but Congress is. Every seat in the House of Representatives is contested, because House members serve two-year terms. Senators serve six-year terms, so about a third of the Senate is elected each time. In 2026, 35 Senate seats are being decided, including two special elections. Voters are also choosing 36 state governors and thousands of state and local officials.
Election day is Tuesday 3 November in the U.S., which is Wednesday 4 November in Australia. Many Americans vote early or by mail, and close races can take days to call.
Who controls Congress now
Republicans control both chambers. In the Senate, they hold 53 seats to the Democrats’ 47, including two independents who vote with the Democrats. Democrats need a net gain of four seats to take control, because Vice President JD Vance casts the deciding vote in a tie.
The House is much closer. Republicans hold a slim majority, and Democrats need a net gain of only a handful of seats to win control.
History is on the Democrats’ side in the House. The president’s party has lost House seats in almost every midterm since the Second World War, as voters use the election to send a message about the government. The Senate map is harder for them, because many of the seats up this year are in states Trump won.
Why it matters
Congress writes laws, sets the budget and controls government spending. If Democrats win either chamber, they could block Trump’s legislative agenda, and a Democratic House could launch investigations into his administration, or even impeach him.
The Senate also confirms the president’s nominees, including cabinet members, ambassadors and federal judges, which matters if a Supreme Court seat becomes vacant.
If Republicans hold both chambers, Trump will have a clearer path to pass laws on tax, spending, immigration and trade in his final two years.
The result matters to Australia too. U.S. trade policy, including tariffs, defence spending and the AUKUS submarine deal, all depend in part on Congress, and markets often react to which party controls it.
