Understanding the 2026 Midterm Elections as a College Student

Midterm elections occur every four years between presidential elections, meaning they take place halfway through the president’s four-year term.

Unlike presidential elections, voters are not choosing a president. Instead, they are voting for representatives and other elected officials who help determine how the government operates. This year's election day for midterms took place on Nov. 3, 2026.

Some of the positions and issues on the ballot include the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, state government positions and ballot measures. The U.S. House of Representatives has 435 seats, with representatives serving two-year terms. The U.S. Senate has 100 seats, with approximately one-third of its seats up for election every two years. Senators serve six-year terms.

North Dakota has a smaller congressional delegation than more populated states, with two U.S. senators and one at-large representative in the U.S. House. This means the state’s single representative serves all of North Dakota rather than an individual congressional district. The number of representatives each state receives is determined by its population.

In addition to these federal positions, North Dakota voters had several state and local races to consider, along with two statewide constitutional measures on the November ballot.

Constitutional Measure 1 proposed increasing the percentage of votes needed to approve future amendments from a simple majority to 60%. The change would have applied to constitutional amendments proposed by both the state Legislature and citizen petitions.

Constitutional Measure 2 proposed requiring public schools to provide students in kindergarten through 12th grade with one free breakfast and one free lunch each school day, with the state providing funding to cover the cost.

Both measures were rejected by North Dakota voters, according to complete but unofficial election results. Measure 1 received approximately 44% support, while Measure 2 received approximately 49% support.

In the U.S. House race, incumbent Republican Julie Fedorchak won reelection, beating Democratic-NPL Trygve Hammer. Fedorchak will continue to represent North Dakota’s at-large congressional district, which covers the entire state. According to complete but unofficial results reported by the North Dakota Monitor, Fedorchak received approximately 57% of the vote, compared to Hammer’s 37%.

At the state level, Republican candidates retained statewide offices, while Democrats made some gains in the North Dakota Legislature. Of the Legislature’s 141 seats, 75 were up for election this year. Despite the gains, Republicans maintained their supermajorities in both the state House and Senate.

On the national level, election results showed a different outcome, with Democrats gaining control of both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. Democratic candidates won Senate seats in several traditionally Republican states, including Kansas, South Carolina and Texas.

Kansas elected a Democratic U.S. senator for the first time since 1932, while South Carolina had not elected a Democratic senator since 1998. Texas also elected a Democratic senator for the first time since 1988.

These results shifted the balance of power in Congress, giving Democrats control of both chambers while Republican President Donald Trump remains in office. The newly elected Congress will begin its term in January 2027.

North Dakota also saw relatively low voter participation during this year’s election. According to the North Dakota Secretary of State’s Office, approximately 239,057, representing 39.8% of eligible voters.

Despite the overall voter turnout in North Dakota, college students were also among those participating in this year’s midterm elections. Voting allows eligible college students to have a voice in decisions that affect their communities, including issues related to education, housing, employment opportunities and the future. Although midterm elections often receive less attention than presidential elections, the officials elected and policies addressed during these elections can have a lasting impact on younger generations.