What makes this US midterm election so special?
5:36
(CNN Spanish) --
On Tuesday, November 8, the midterm elections in the United States will take place, which are held every two years (halfway through the presidential term).
Hundreds of public offices will be up for grabs: 435 seats in the House of Representatives will be up for grabs (members run for office every two years);
35 seats in the 100-member Senate;
and the governorships of 36 states.
Likewise, the midterm elections will serve as a kind of evaluation of the Joe Biden government, since the results will directly influence the decisions of the last two years of his term.
How the 2022 midterm elections work in the United States: dates, votes and other key questions
Will you participate in this process with your vote?
If you answered yes, you first have to find out if you can really do it.
Voting and election laws in the US determine who can and cannot vote.
In the first case, it is simpler: you can vote if you are a US citizen;
if you meet the residency requirements of the state where you live;
if you are 18 years old on election day;
and if you are registered to vote before the deadline set by your state (North Dakota is the only state where registration is not required to participate in elections).
advertising
Now, what about the second case?
Below we give you the details.
Who cannot vote in the US elections?
First
: if you are not a US citizen, you cannot vote in the US, even if you are a permanent resident with a green card or "green card".
If you are not a US citizen, "registering to vote or voting in federal elections is considered a crime," says the US government.
"The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) can deny citizenship (naturalization) or deport non-citizens who have voted or registered to vote," it adds.
Second
: some people who are serving sentences for serious crimes or for other types of crimes cannot vote.
Each state will determine the rules in this matter;
about it, the Department of Justice created a guide on the matter, which you can review by clicking here.
You can also contact your local or state elections office to find out the laws in your state;
find which one is yours in this link.
Third
: in the United States some people with mental disabilities cannot vote.
The rules vary by state and you can review them by clicking here;
also, in this link you can find other useful resources on this point.
Finally
: although it does not apply in this case because it is a midterm election, US law states that US citizens residing in Puerto Rico or other territories of the country may not vote for president in general elections.
midterm elections