Useful guide · Federal election schedules

A term is not an election cycle.

A term is how long an office is held. An election cycle tells you when a particular seat is scheduled to be chosen again.

New to this? Start with these words.

Term: The period for which someone holds an office.
Seat: The position being filled, which continues when its holder changes.
Election cycle: The recurring schedule for choosing who fills an office.

Learn at your own pace. Browse the plain-language glossary →

Regular federal election schedules
Office	Regular term	Which seats are scheduled?
U.S. representative	2 years	All 435 voting seats, every 2 years
U.S. senator	6 years	About one-third of seats, every 2 years; each seat every 6 years
President & vice president	4 years	Both offices, every 4 years
Territorial / D.C. delegate	2 years	Every 2 years
Puerto Rico resident commissioner	4 years	Every 4 years, in presidential election years

Explore a regular election year

General elections

November 3, 2026 · Midterm election

All voting House seats and regular Class II Senate seats are scheduled. There is no regular presidential election.

Senate seats have three different schedules.

Every state has two Senate seats belonging to different classes. A class is an election group, not a geographic district. Look at a seat’s class to understand when its regular election occurs.

Senate classes · next regular cycle as of October 19, 2026
Election group	Next regular cycle	Regular term
Class I	2030	6 years
Class II	2026	6 years
Class III	2028	6 years

Find the Senate seats for a state →

What about primaries and special elections?

Primaries help select party nominees and have dates set by each state. Special elections fill vacancies and can have separate schedules. The dates here describe the regular general election schedule; use your election office for the full calendar.

How are these dates determined?

Regular federal general elections take place on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The Senate’s classes determine which seats are scheduled. Future dates shown here follow that regular schedule.

Find your official election calendar ↗ · Registration resources →

Schedule information checked October 19, 2026. An election for a seat does not mean its current officeholder is running.

Sources you can check

Qualifications and terms of service · U.S. Senate
Class II: terms expire in 2027 · U.S. Senate
Class III: terms expire in 2029 · U.S. Senate
The House explained · U.S. House of Representatives
House membership and delegates · Clerk of the U.S. House
Presidential election process · USAGov
2026 congressional election calendar · Federal Election Commission
State and local election offices · USAGov

Reviewed October 19, 2026. How this guide is researched.

Next midterm cycle

Explore the November 3, 2026 races.

Browse voting House seats, regular and special Senate elections, delegate offices, and governorships. Find official resources for your full state and local ballot.

Open the 2026 midterm guide →