2026 US midterms: A quick guide to understanding the midterm elections

The upcoming congressional elections on November 3 will see 470 seats contested, with mail-in voting already underway. Historically, midterm elections tend to disadvantage the ruling party, and current trends suggest a challenging environment for the Republicans, particularly due to low approval ratings for Trump and high inflation. Voter turnout has averaged around 43% in previous midterms, indicating potential challenges for engagement.