Many Americans demonstrate their civic duty by filling out their ballot to support their preferred candidates in the Midterm Elections and other local elections.
Voting? What elections are coming up?
The year of 2018 may experience a great deal of change as the country could undergo a potential shift of political power. Elections are open for the House of Representatives, the Senate, 36 state governors, and many city mayors.
The Midterm Elections allow citizens to vote directly for candidates they would like to see in power in the U.S. House and the Senate. The elections are held halfway between the presidential elections and determine which party gains control in the House and Senate for the following two years. The Midterm Elections are crucial because the party in control of the House and Senate determines the endorsement of the legislation.
According to USA.gov, a candidate running for the U.S. House of Representatives "must be at least 25 years old, a U.S. citizen for seven years, and live in the state he/she represents." For the Senate, the candidate "must be at least 30 years old, a U.S. citizen for nine years, and live in the state that he/she represents."
What's the outlook?
The Midterm Elections seek to elect or re-elect all of the 435 members of the House of Representatives, along with o of the U.S. Senators. Currently, the Republicans dominate both the House and Senate, and are hoping to pull off a victory for another two years. However, the polls demonstrate that the Democrats want to take over and place themselves into these positions of power. The Democrats need a gain of at least 23 seats to be able to take control of the House, and they need to have a net gain of two seats to dominate the Senate. Trump's political agenda could be in trouble if the Republicans do not maintain dominance in Congress. According to the ABC News article, Everything you need to know about the 2018 midterm elections," many voters see the midterms as a chance to either show their support for or disapproval of Trump and his administration's agenda." The polls display a close number of votes between the Republicans and Democrats.
There are 35 seats open for nomination in the Senate. Republicans will keep 42 seats and the Democrats will maintain 23 seats. According to FiveThirtyEights forecast of the Midterm Elections, the Republicans have a 4 in 5 chance (79.2%) of upholding power in the Senate. While the Republicans seem to find favor in the Senate, the House of Representatives displays another story. The forecast predicts that the Democrats have a 6 in 7 chance (86.1%) of gaining control of the House. In regard to state governors, the predictions demonstrate that an average of 25.9 states will be governed by Republicans, while an average of 24.1 states will be governed by Democrats.
How do I learn more about voting?
USA.gov provides a multitude of resources to help you navigate voting and elections. The website offers information regarding "definitions of common voting and election terms, voting election laws and history, how to vote or register to vote," and much more.
The website further describes how to vote in detail by giving guidance about absentee and early voting; deciding who to vote for; registering to vote or changing registration information; voter ID requirements; voter age requirements; and what to expect when you vote in person.
What about local elections?
In Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Official State Election Board is the "administrative agency for the conduct of state elections and the oversight of the state's 77 county election boards." The Board presents a list of candidates for the 2018 Elections for each county in Oklahoma. These state officers include nominees for governor, attorney general, state treasurer, district judges, United States Representatives, and much more. Use the Online Voter Tool to view a sample ballot and get information on the State Questions.
The Federal Election Commission
The Federal Election Commission is the independent regulatory agency charged with administering and enforcing the federal campaign finance law. It has jurisdiction over the financing of campaigns for the U.S. House, Senate, Presidency and the Vice Presidency. On the Explore All Data page, look up candidate and committee profiles or find contributions from specific individuals.
Learn more about what these candidates have to offer and let your voice be heard by going out and voting on November 6th!
~Emily Hancz
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