On Tuesday, November 6, 2018, our country went through the midterm election. This election is when voters re-elect one third of the 99 Senators, and the full House of Representatives (also known as “The House”).

The midterm election occurs every two years and presidential elections occur every four years.  In January 2019, when the new congressmen take office, the government will go through many changes. The most major change after election is the Democratic Party will retake the House of Representatives, and the Republicans will keep control of the Senate after voting to keep the seats up for re-election.

This, in turn, will create what is known as a split Congress. This means that each party will control one branch of Congress. It will be difficult to get much done because to pass a law it has to go through both branches of congress, and it is unlikely that the Democrats and Republicans will agree to pass many laws.

According to website Refinery29, which is a site that tends to lean more liberal, this midterm election is important as Democrats will have the chance to restore the checks and balances to the U.S. Government by successfully winning back the House of Representatives and making the government a split Congress. This, in turn, makes it more difficult for the Republican party, led by President Donald Trump, to pass laws that may relate to more controversial topics split on party lines, including gun control, abortion rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and immigration. The American government will be this way until 2020, when there is a Presidential re-election, another one third of the Senate is re-elected, and voters re-elect the entire House.

This election also decided many smaller propositions across the country including abortion laws, healthcare, and the legalization of marijuana. Californians voted on a Daylight Savings Time measure.

This election has brought a lot of change to our country and it remains to be seen how these changes will impact citizens.