What are Midterm Elections?
Are you turning 18 by 2018? If so, keep reading because we have a very important message for you. You may not have planned to vote until the next presidential election in 2020 but guess what, your time is now! When it comes to the topic of voting we focus so heavily on the presidential election because that’s what the media pushes out. The presidential election is very important but it is not the only important election. This November (2018), we will be voting in the midterm elections.
What are Midterm Elections?
Midterm elections do not coincide with a presidential election year. These elections occur two years into the term of a president i.e. in the middle of a president's term in office, hence the name mid-term.
In a midterm election, some members of the US Senate, all members of the House of Representatives, and many state and local positions are voted on. Since US senators serve 6-year terms, their re-election campaigns are usually held during midterm elections.
Why Should I Care?
Well, Federal offices that are up for election during the midterms are members of the United States Congress, which include 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives, and the full terms for 33 or 34 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate. In layman's terms, 36 governors will also be elected during midterm elections.
With all of this being said, the president does not make all of his decisions alone. All of the individuals who are voted in during midterm elections play a major role in the making/changing of laws and policies that directly affect us and our livelihood. We need people who care about our voices and the progression of America sitting in those seats. It’s up to us, the kids to take responsibility and vote the people that we need in office in.
EightenX18 Initiative
Actress and activist Yara Shahidi has recently turned 18 and for her birthday she launched an awesome initiative. The Eighteen x '18 initiative is a creative platform to engage our generation to speak our truth, get active and vote! The platform is designed to uplift our generation of voters to take action into our own hands and discover the issues that impact us through our own stories and experiences.
We are rocking with Yara, so get ready to vote! If you aren’t registered to vote to make sure you do so ASAP! If you don’t know how to register check out our article on “How To Vote” and never hesitate to hit us up if you have questions.