Prereading Quiz: Election Day Countdown

Before you read “Election Day Countdown,” take this five-question quiz to find out how much you already know.

1

When do midterm elections take place?

Midterm elections take place halfway through a president’s four-year term. The last presidential election was in 2020, so midterm elections will take place this fall, on November 8.

2

Which of these positions is not a part of the U.S. Congress?

The U.S. Congress is made up of 435 representatives who serve in the House of Representatives and 100 senators who serve in the Senate. Governors lead state governments.

3

True or false: All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are on the ballot every two years.

Representatives are elected to two-year terms, so every House seat is on the ballot every two years. Senators serve six-year terms, so about one-third of Senate seats are elected at a time.

4

Which group currently has a majority of seats in the House?

The Democratic Party currently holds a majority of seats in the House, with 220 seats to the Republicans’ 209 as of June 16, 2022.

5

In almost every midterm election in the past 200 years, the sitting president’s party has ___ seats in Congress.

In almost every midterm election over the past two centuries, the sitting president’s party has lost seats in Congress.

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