How To Register To Vote In Your State For The Upcoming Midterm Elections

We all know how important it is to vote in presidential elections, but we often forget how important midterm elections are. From important gubernatorial, congressional, and local races, the midterm elections are often just as important as presidential elections on the political scale, and their outcomes can affect your daily life more directly.

However, registering to vote and knowing what’s on your ballot can be confusing. Luckily for you, we have the perfect guide on how to navigate voting in the midterm elections.

How Important are Midterm Elections Really?  

Midterm elections are exactly what they sound like, elections held in the middle of a presidential term, and they encompass more local elections. Every year that ends in an even number is the year of an important election. Since 2020 was a presidential election year, 2022 is a midterm election year, and 2024 will be another presidential election year.

Though many voters might skip participating in the midterm elections because they’re not the presidential elections, there are still plenty of important gubernatorial, congressional, and local races. Voting for governor is important if you care about the politics in your state (as you should), and congressional races help determine who you want to represent your state in the Senate and the House of Representatives. If you're invested in seeing certain Democrat or Republican-backed agendas progress through Congress, then voting for your representatives in Washington DC is a must.

36 states and three territories will be holding gubernatorial elections this year. And all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 Senate seats are up for election. To find out who is on your ballot, enter your address on Ballotpedia, which will also tell you about some local races and give profiles for each candidate. It’s always a good idea to research the candidates yourself, specifically on the campaign website for each candidate.

Who governs your community has more of an effect on your everyday life than you might realize.

Midterm elections are incredibly important. Gubernatorial races not only appoint governors but put them on a national stage that can produce future presidential candidates. The same goes for the House and Senate races, not to mention the power the legislative branch has in passing federal laws that affect all Americans.

Local elections are also important, as who governs your community has more of an effect on your everyday life than you might realize. For example, most lockdown policies during the Covid pandemic were decided by your city, county, or gubernatorial government leaders. Cities also decide on how much funding to allocate to law enforcement. Elected school board members can influence curriculum changes in your local schools. Cities and counties often control property tax rates.

Change often starts on the community level. If you like what a local politician stands for, you can help elevate them by electing them to represent your community and vice versa for those whose policies you disagree with.

How To Register To Vote in Your State

Registering to vote can be confusing because each state has its own laws and regulations, but you can find instructions and voting deadlines on USA.gov.registertovote. The majority of states have registration deadlines in October, so it’s best to check your voter registration status ASAP. It’s also important to note that some states like Minnesota and Colorado allow same-day registration, so not all hope is lost if you haven’t registered yet. Don’t forget to check your state’s voter ID laws – it wouldn’t be a good day to accidentally leave your wallet at home!

It’s also important to look into if your state has early voting; states like Illinois and Tennessee offer early in-person voting. If it’s available in your state, we’d highly recommend taking advantage of it, as voting on election day can be time-consuming due to long lines. You might also want to find out if you need to take time off from work to go vote – many states require workplaces give you time off to vote, but not all do, so make sure to ask in advance.

Closing Thoughts

From gubernatorial races to congressional to local elections, a lot of races in the midterm elections will help determine the future of American culture and politics. These elections can be confusing to navigate, but learning how to register and research candidates makes it easier. See you at the polls on November 8!

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