What are Midterms and Special Elections?
America has always been a country that prides itself on its various democratic processes, one of them being Midterm Elections. Held every two years, these elections occur halfway through a four-year presidential term, and allows voters to influence which party controls Congress for the remaining two years (US Vote Foundation). This year’s Midterms will be held on November 3, 2026, where all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and all 33 seats of the Senate will be contested. Though there is still quite a while until the official Midterm Election, there are still some major political events occurring this month that serve as “tests” for the actual Midterms, commonly referred to as Special Elections.
The Major Special Elections This Month
This April, the key races we should be aware of include the special House runoff in Georgia on April 7, the special election in New Jersey on April 16, other votes in Wisconsin, and a redistricting referendum (a yes/no question) in Virginia on April 21. The Georgia runoff election will be held to choose someone to finish the rest of the term in a House seat that became vacant (USA Today). Similarly, the New Jersey election will also be held to choose a new representative for another open House seat (NYT). The Wisconsin elections will be held to determine the new judge of the state Supreme Court (USA Today). Despite the similarities between the first three elections, the Virginia election will be held to decide how congressional districts (voting districts) lines should be drawn within the state (Virginia Dept. of Elections). Special elections such as these help to rapidly fill vacancies when a seat opens, while referendums allow voters to directly decide on changes to election rules or district boundaries.
The Current Outlook
While recent polls of the congressional ballot – ballots that ask voters whether they would prefer a generic Democrat or Republican for Congress – show Democrats leading the vast majority of recent polls (NYT). The party out of power typically gains ground in midterm elections, and these early surveys suggest this may be underway already (NYT). However, there is still a fair chance the polling averages can shift significantly in the following months as campaigns intensify or larger issues develop.
How Does This Affect Us?
Though no special elections will be occurring this month in Massachusetts, the other elections across the country still affect our lives. As students at Montrose and residents of Massachusetts, many of us are thinking about tuition, college plans, and future opportunities. The next composition of Congress will be making decisions on topics such as education and economy, both of which will directly affect both students and families. Because of this, it is incredibly important to possess civic awareness. Even if many of us are not eligible to vote, we still have a responsibility as citizens of the United States to stay informed about elections and understand their impact on our lives and future. So that when the time comes, our awareness will allow us to make informed decisions and ensure our voices are heard.
Sources:
https://www.usvotefoundation.org/when-are-2026-midterm-elections-and-what-their-purpose
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/polls/new-jersey-us-house-11-special-polls-2026.html
https://www.elections.virginia.gov/election-law/proposed-amendment-for-april-2026-special-election/
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/polls/congressional-vote-2026.html
