Since President Donald J. Trump took office, he’s tested the limits of our system of checks and balances numerous times, such as by declaring war on Iran without congressional approval and capturing Venezuela’s leader, Nicolás Maduro. These events showed how easy it is to abuse the executive office. Although our political systems are not the best by any stretch of the imagination, there are still tools that are constantly being protected that can help us push back against this abuse. One of those tools is elections, and our midterm election is right around the corner on Nov. 3.
During the 2026 midterm election, all 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and 35 Senate seats are up for reelection. The majority of these seats are currently held by Republicans. This helps explain how pieces of legislation, such as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, are passed: with a Republican majority in both chambers, a bill can get easily passed if Democrats don’t put up a fight (and Democrats don’t – that bill got passed).
But Trump and Republicans have a low approval rating, meaning people aren’t rushing to the polls to vote for them. This puts their control of the House and Senate at risk. To circumvent this, they’ve resorted to redrawing congressional district maps in favor of their party or what we call gerrymandering. This initially started last year with Texas Republican representatives redrawing maps to gain five more seats, and Missouri Republicans following suit by redrawing maps to gain one more seat and cutting the minority vote. This shows how far Republicans are willing to go, undermining people’s voices, in order to preserve power in this race they’re losing.
The move prompted Democratic governors Gavin Newsom of California and J.B. Pritzker of Illinois to threaten to redraw their states’ congressional maps to benefit Democrats. Gov. Gavin Newsom actually followed through, possibly gaining Democrats five more seats. While Pritzker says it is possible, the redraw has yet to be seen.
These messy voting shenanigans become clearer when we consider the issues that voters are concerned about. For example, the cost-of-living crisis that we’re actively living through. One of the many things that Trump promised was that grocery prices would immediately drop on “day one.” This has not happened; in fact, the cost of groceries, transportation, and energy has slowly ticked up. Almost half of American families don’t have the resources to get essentials, while the war on Iran started by this administration has already caused gas prices to rise, and the 2025 tariffs imposed on China have increased retail prices by about 5.6%.
Although Republicans have worked to create policy that actively works against their constituents, some Democrats have as well. US funding of Israel has been unpopular since 2023 and has made many skeptical of the Democrats who continue to support it. The reason why some Democrats would is because they’re supported by super PACs like the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). A PAC is a political action committee that raises more than $1,000 for different candidates that support their specific committee’s ideals and political goals (A super PAC is a PAC that can accept unlimited contributions from donors). AIPAC funds candidates that will vote for pro-Israel policies, like funding military efforts. If that’s something you disagree with, then you need to be diligent in your choices. Voters need to pay attention to both parties in this midterm election and vote for those who oppose this funding. (You can also track AIPAC-funded candidates here.)
While everyone should vote, it is especially important for students like us to show up this election cycle. Young voters tend to vote more progressively (or at least lean toward the left or identify more with the Democratic Party), but as college students, we’re the demographic group with the lowest voter turnout. This is most likely because many of us don’t know how we can vote, especially if we’re far from home. To make voting easier, below is a short guide!
Obviously, you need to register to vote. You can register to vote using your parents’ address or any permanent residence you have at the moment. However, note that you have to be a resident of Illinois for at least 30 days prior to the election. Here’s how you find your polling place.
For non-Illinois residents, you’ll need to cast an absentee ballot. An absentee ballot or mail-in ballot is a special ballot that a voter can request if they can’t vote in person in their county.
Remember to check the rules and state requirements for mail-in voting/absentee voting. Every state has different rules; in some you don’t need to provide a reason, and in some you do. (You can use the site, too!)
Request the ballot, which should only take a couple of minutes. It needs to be received — depending on the state — about a week or two before voting day. Finally, hurry up and send it back!
Voting doesn’t have to be the only action you take in your democracy.
I mentioned earlier that Missouri Republicans redrew their congressional district map. In response, local Missourians submitted a 300,000-name petition for a referendum to block this redistricting, which was almost disregarded by the secretary of state, Denny Hoskins, who called it “unconstitutional.” Fortunately, this referendum was able to pass right before mail-in voting ended for military and overseas ballots, protecting their right to a fair and unbiased election.
Voting in the upcoming midterm elections will not magically solve all these issues. Voting completely blue may not stop every issue with immigration, Gaza, or Iran. Still, it allows you to have a voice within your own democracy, and it hinders this administration’s ability to take that voice away.
