The United States will hold mid-term elections on 3 November 2026. This election will involve the election of all 435 members of the House of Representatives, 35 members of the Senate and 39 governors of states and dependent territories. In addition, 37 states will hold approximately 100 referendum proposals covering taxation, the process of re-division of constituencies, electoral administration and several state constitutional amendments. As the elections coincided with the second term of the Republican President Trump, they were widely regarded as a referendum on the effectiveness of his administration. The current national political environment is favourable to the Democratic Party, as evidenced by a survey showing that the Democratic Party is about 6.6 percentage points ahead of the average universal vote and has expanded its advantage to 7.6 percentage points after possible voter adjustments; independent Democrats and pro-Democrats are ahead of Republicans and Republicans by 10 percentage points at 49 to 39 per cent. However, there are significant differences in the specific competitive dynamics of the constituencies, such as the Texas Senate and Governor's election, which has been described by various media as "austerity".
In terms of voting patterns, several media reports indicate that some cantons have begun to send ballot papers to overseas and absentee voters and that the process began around September. However, the rule of postal voting faces legal challenges: the United States Supreme Court has ruled that the USPS mailing vote rule does not apply to the mid-2026 elections; and the "Certification of Citizenship Order" signed by Trump is again blocked by federal judges. These legal games mean that voters may face uncertainty about the manner of voting, particularly for those living abroad or unable to travel to polling stations in person. For the American people, mailing votes is one of the most common methods of voting. Voters are advised to confirm as soon as possible the deadline for the delivery of their ballot papers and the return request, and to follow up on the latest guidelines issued by state electoral officials. Since some of the rules were still in judicial dispute, sufficient time should be set aside to avoid the effects of changes in the rules on voting.
In this mid-term election, there were a number of ballot proposals from the Länder that were relevant to the Chinese community. In Colorado, a proposal was made to prohibit cross-sex students from participating in school sports; there was also a proposal No. 7A for a grant authority for the Front Range passenger railway area. In North Dakota, two proposals concerned free school meals and constitutional amendments, respectively. In addition, a proposal by the city of Quichcan, Alaska, requires the delegation of spending authority for power upgrades. The state-wide vote proposals in Colorado are highly competitive, with major donors investing heavily in the respective proposals. These local proposals, though less than the federal elections, have a direct impact on local educational resources, infrastructure and community policies. Chinese voters should pay particular attention to the content of the ballot papers in their respective states and counties and can consult the text of specific proposals and voting guides on the website of the State Secretary or through local electoral offices.
Economic factors were one of the main concerns of voters in the midterm elections. Surveys have shown that rural voters ' anxiety about rising costs of living, including medical care, increased significantly before the elections. At the same time, the Fed faced the possibility of a further increase in interest rates in the run-up to the mid-term elections, an economic policy move that triggered extensive discussions. A number of advisory bodies have also made strategic recommendations on how business executives can respond to the mid-term elections. In the American-Chinese community, where the cost of living, health insurance and tax policies are directly related to the family ' s financial situation, voters should pay attention to the specific policy propositions of candidates on economic issues when voting. In the face of this mid-term election, which involved thousands of contests, Chinese voters were prepared to confirm the status of voter registration and check the address of registration; to know the manner of voting in their county and the relevant deadlines; to consult the names of candidates for all federal, state and local positions on the ballot papers, as well as citizen proposals; and to follow up on any changes in the location of polling stations and to travel to the polls with valid identity documents. The vote on 3 November was a direct means of expressing claims and influencing policy direction.