US midterms: what voters are choosing and why control of Congress is at stake

Americans are voting in the 2026 midterm elections on 3 November, with every seat in the House of Representatives and roughly one-third of the Senate up for election. The results will help determine which party controls each chamber of Congress for the next two years.

The BBC says a short video by its correspondent Madeline Gerber explains what is on the ballot and how the outcome could shift the balance of power in Washington.

Midterms take place halfway between presidential elections. House members serve two-year terms, so all 435 seats are contested; senators serve six-year terms, with elections staggered so that about a third of the 100 seats are contested every two years. Not every state has a Senate race on its ballot.

Voters also choose candidates in state and local contests, though those races vary by location. The congressional results will shape the legislative branch of the federal government.