The Midterms, coined for its placement in the second year, the middle of a presidential term, occurs on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. In the last midterm election, which occurred in 2018, around 53% of the eligible American population voted, which was the highest it’s been in 40 years. Meaning at most, around half of the United States population participates in this opportunity to vote. If only around half the population votes in the midterms it must not be important, right? Wrong! Let me explain to you why midterms are important by taking us back to sixth grade Social Studies.
The U.S government has 3 branches: executive, legislative and judicial. The executive branch, we are well aware of. It contains the president, vice president, and their cabinet. We elect these officials every year that ends with a multiple of four. Our last presidential election was in 2020, and our upcoming election will be in 2024. The purpose of the executive branch is to enforce the law. For example, the president is responsible for signing or vetoing laws, appointing federal judges, and more. The president is responsible for creating a cabinet, integral to the federal bureaucracy. Some examples of the US Cabinet Departments are the Department of Homeland Security, Treasury, Education, and Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Secondly is the judicial branch which consists of the Supreme Court and other federal courts. These judges, nominated by the president in office when a vacancy opened, serve for life, or until retirement. Their job includes interpreting laws, and deciding whether or not they are constitutional. There are nine justices in the Supreme Court. Lastly the legislative branch, Congress, is composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate. There are 100 senators, two per state, and 435 representatives based on population. Every six years, Senator seats are up for grabs, but this is staggered so that every two years there are Senate elections. Members of the House of Representatives are voted in every two years. Their responsibility is to the laws that you and I must adhere to. In addition, they have the right to declare war and reject any appointments the president makes. If the president vetoes their law they can override it by passing the bill in each chamber, the Senate and House of Representatives, with 2/3 votes in favor.
The Midterm elections determine the next Senators and Representatives of the United States. You must be wondering now, Terika? Why did you just fact attack me in the last paragraph? To your question, I answer, so you understand the significance of Senators and Representatives in your future, and how they affect every other branch of government. A politics professor at George Mason University, Gary Nordlinger, gets it right: “Whoever controls the House or the Senate controls the agenda.” The extent to which a president can change America around is determined by who sits in Congress. Gun control laws are made in Congress. Climate control laws are made in Congress. The midterm elections give American citizens the chance to choose who makes their laws, which arguably is the most important part of government. Lobbyists impress and win over Congress members to promote their own agenda. The president’s ability to appoint new, life serving federal judges or hinder certain laws is controlled by Congress. These positions exist to represent a government for the people and by the people.
Lastly, before you click out of this tab, most states use this time, while many citizens are still in the voting booth to present their proposals to their state government. If you would like to see more about Michigan’s proposals for November 8 click here. For more information about the candidates for Michigan’s governmental positions click here.
I hope to see World Changers in the voting booth on November 8!
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.