Understanding Congress is step one. Step two is showing up. Register, check your status, and know what's on the ballot — every link below goes to an official .gov source.
Registration rules are set by your state, not the federal government. Vote.gov walks you through your state's exact process in a few minutes. Already registered? Moves, name changes, and inactivity can drop you from the rolls — it's worth a 30-second check.
The official federal starting point. Pick your state and register online, by mail, or in person.
Confirm you're still on the rolls and your address is current — especially if you've moved.
Deadlines range from a month before Election Day to same-day registration, depending on your state.
Every state sets its own rules. Some close registration about 30 days before an election; others let you register at the polls on Election Day. North Dakota doesn't require registration at all. When in doubt, your state election office is the final word.
2026 is a midterm year. Every seat in the U.S. House, roughly a third of the Senate, and most governorships are on the ballot — plus state legislatures, local offices, and ballot measures that often affect daily life more directly than anything federal.
Before the general election, each state holds primaries to choose the candidates. Primary dates are scattered across the year and set state by state — check yours through your state election office.
Each party narrows its field before November. Some states hold open primaries (any voter can pick a party's ballot); others are closed (registered party members only). Turnout is usually low, which makes each primary vote count for more.
Federal general elections land on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November in even years. Midterms (like 2026) decide Congress without a presidential race; historically they draw lower turnout, so they're where individual votes swing outcomes.
Vacant seats trigger special elections on their own schedule, and many city and county races happen in odd years. These low-turnout contests decide schools, policing, housing, and roads — your state and county election sites list what's coming.
Most states offer more than one way to cast a ballot. Voters with a plan — when, where, and how — are far more likely to follow through than voters with an intention.
Where to vote in person on Election Day, based on your registered address.
Most states open in-person voting days or weeks before Election Day.
Absentee and mail-ballot rules, deadlines, and how to request yours.
The U.S. Election Assistance Commission's state-by-state guide to registration and voting.
Voting is once every couple of years — but your two senators and one House member work for you year-round. Enter your ZIP code to get their names, phone numbers, and contact pages. When a bill on this site matters to you, this is who to call.
The Capitol Lens explains what Congress does; who sits in Congress is up to you. We don't endorse candidates or parties — we just want the people reading these bills to be the people voting on who writes them. Every link above goes to an official government source.