Midterm elections: What are YOU voting for on November 6 in midterms 2018?
THE 2018 midterm elections are less than a week away and candidates are in the final sprint of their campaigning. So what are you voting for on November 6 in midterms 2018?
US midterms: Early voting kicks off in Florida
With the midterm elections fast approaching the races across the US offers mixed clues about the outcome of this year’s election.
Americans will cast their vote on candidates for all 435 House seats and 35 of 100 Senate seats when polling stations open.
As all the House of Representatives seats are up for election, governors across America are either fighting to defend their seat or fighting to flip the seat in their favour.
And the results will determine which party - Democratic or Republican - will control each chamber of Congress for the next couple of years.
What are you voting for on November 6?
To answer what you are voting for on November 6, it is important to understand what the midterm elections actually are.
The midterm elections are held halfway between presidential elections.
Voters will elect one-third of all US senators and all 435 members of the US House of Representatives during the midterms.
READ MORE: WHAT HAPPENS IF DEMOCRATS WIN THE 2018 MIDTERM ELECTIONS?
The “midterms” determine which party — Democratic or Republican — will control each chamber of Congress for the next two years.
At least 51 seats are needed for control of Senate and 218 are needed for the House.
The party that controls a chamber usually wins that chamber's legislative votes.
However, proposed legislation must pass in both the House and the Senate for it to reach the president's desk.
READ MORE: WHEN DO US MIDTERM ELECTIONS POLLING STATIONS OPEN?
This year’s midterm elections is expected to have a massive impact on the US’ political landscape.
According to the Pew Research Centre, half of the registered voters have reported being more enthusiastic about voting in 2018 than in previous years.
This surge is likely a reflection of the high stakes in the November midterm elections this year.
With control of Congress swaying either way, each party could have the advantage to either pass their legislative agendas or to block opposing agendas.
The elections on November 6 will also be the US voters first chance to pass judgment on Donald Trump since he was elected President of the US in 2016.
Currently, Democrats have an 86.2 percent chance of retaining controls in the House of Representatives.
But the polls also show the party only have a 14.7 percent of flipping control in the Senate.
If the Democrats were to take back Congress it would severely limit the amount of power Mr Trump has for the next two years.
This could affect many of Mr Trump’s promises, such as building a wall between the US border and Mexico.
Even if the Democrats only takes back the House they would be able to block Mr Trump’s plans as he tries to put them forward.
But if the Republicans were to continue its majority in Congress it would be a huge boost for the US President, giving him the opportunity to continue passing new laws without much obstruction.
The congressional elections will be held on Tuesday, November 6.