How are US midterms different from presidential elections? What to know before 2026 polls

US midterm elections are not a vote for president, but they can reshape the political landscape around the White House. Held halfway through a presidential term, midterms decide control of Congress and typically draw a smaller, older and somewhat less racially diverse electorate than presidential elections.

In 2026, voters will elect every member of the House of Representatives and roughly one-third of the Senate. Congressional elections are held every two years, while presidential elections occur every four years.

Also read: What are US midterm elections, and why do they matter?


The most striking difference is turnout. According to the Center for Politics data cited in the source material, presidential elections have drawn higher turnout than midterms in every election since 1838. In the period after the 26th Amendment lowered the voting age to 18, average midterm turnout was about 17 percentage points below presidential turnout.

Who votes in midterms?

The electorate itself also tends to look different. Center for Politics analysis of exit polls from 2004 to 2016 found that college graduates represented a larger share of voters in each midterm than in the presidential election immediately before it.

Midterm voters have also tended to be older. On average, voters aged 45 and above accounted for about 64% of recent midterm electorates, compared with roughly 54% in recent presidential elections, according to the analysis.

The racial composition differs as well. Nonwhite voters have generally represented a smaller share of the midterm electorate than the presidential electorate, although the nonwhite share of both electorates has increased over time.

Also read: US midterm elections: 9 key issues that could shape the November polls

What stays the same?

The broad voting patterns of groups that participate in both types of elections can remain similar. Center for Politics found a persistent gender gap in recent elections, with women tending to vote more Democratic than men and men more Republican.

Age patterns have also become more consistent in recent elections, with younger voters tending to lean more Democratic and older voters more Republican.

For President Donald Trump, the distinction matters because the 2026 midterms will determine who controls Congress during the second half of his term. The House has 435 seats, while the Senate has 100 members, with a different third of the Senate elected every two years.

Thus, unlike a presidential election that determines who occupies the White House, the midterms determine the congressional balance of power and the lawmakers who will shape the federal legislative agenda.