Plan Ahead for Mid-Term Elections (11/3/26)
Many of us hope and expect that November 3, 2026 will be a pivotal, milestone day—our midterm elections that could lead to a major shift in the balance of power in the U.S. Senate and House.
The current makeup of the Senate—53 Republicans, 45 Democrats, and two independents who caucus with the Democrats—obviously favors the GOP. But in 2026, 35 of the Senate’s 100 seats will be contested for six-year terms, and all 435 of the Congressional Representatives will face reelection.
Our Votes Matter
Dismiss the idea that your vote doesn’t matter. To underscore how critical it is to vote, consider how close the 2024 election was:
*Trump won 77,284,118 votes, or 49.8 percent of the votes. Kamala Harris received 74,999,166 votes, or 48.3 percent of the votes cast.
*Third-party and independent candidates garnered 2.13% of the vote, amounting to over three million votes.
*Therefore, in terms of the popular vote, more people voted for someone other than Trump for president than voted for him, and his margin of victory over Harris was a slim 1.5 percentage points. The current POTUS did not earn a “mandate” as he so frequently insists.
*In addition, it’s estimated that 36 percent of the voting-eligible population (89 million Americans) didn’t vote in the general election. (per the University of Florida Election Lab). Would those votes have made a difference? Of course.
++Above figures are based on several objective sources and our major effort to confirm.
Action Steps
We need to be prepared for the mid-terms. Following are a few key reminders, along with some additional suggestions, relative to the country’s current political “climate.”
*Be certain you and others are properly/legally registered. Do this as soon as possible.
*Confirm your choices. Be ready to vote for the Congressional reps and Senators in your district/state. If you’re undecided as to the most qualified candidates, start researching who best represents the ideals and experience you believe to be essential. Consider who is going to support Democracy, humane immigration policies, the rule of law, transparency, honesty, and other key issues, and who will fight against authoritarianism and dictatorships. See http://www.usa.gov/midterm-elections for more information.
*Check your state/county guidelines regarding in-person versus mail-in voting.
*Be aware of and protest against any plans to make voting more difficult in your county.
*Email and call your Senators and House members to urge them to take a stand against the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act (which would require newly registered or updated voters to provide proof of citizenship in person) and other voter suppression actions.
*Use social media to promote the election. Add a Vote 2026, Midterms Matter, Democracy 2026 or similar tag to your Facebook page, and email signature.
*Add a vote sticker to your greeting card envelopes and other correspondence.
*Place a Vote sign in your front yard and/or windows.
*Reach out to your personal contact list (Facebook friends, college alumni, neighbors, etc.) and remind them to vote.
*Support the ACLU’s and other organizations’ legal actions aimed at preventing rules/guidelines that would make voting more difficult.
*Help arrange carpools and other transportation for people to get to the voting locations.
*Support non-partisan election monitoring efforts.
*Encourage others within your community to get involved. You may even decide to help organize local “get out the vote” efforts.
Support Young/First-time Voters
According to the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, close to half of young people (47%) ages 18-29 cast a ballot in the 2024 presidential election. Obviously, this is a critically important audience for 2026.
*Encourage first-time and other young voters to participate in the 2026 midterm election. Emphasize to your children, grandchildren, and others that it’s both a “right” and a “privilege” to vote.
*Make sure they register to vote as early as possible.
*Advise them to research the candidates’ backgrounds and positions on the most consequential issues. Suggest they make up their own minds and not be overly impressed/swayed by any one group. Stress that every vote makes a difference.
*Accompany them to voter symposiums and/or youth group voter education events.
*If you’re comfortable and feel qualified to do so, visit groups of young people to encourage their participation.
*Write an opinion piece or Letter to the Editor about the importance of young people voting.
*Review other ideas from various resources, including:
http://www.lwv.org/blog/vote411s-guide-voting-gen-z-er
(We will continue to update this page.)
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