✶ Franchise · Vol. 2026 · Midterm edition
The Republic,
explained.
fran·chise, n. the right to choose who governs
Every office on an American ballot, from the President down to the water board: who fills it, how they are chosen, and who pays for the campaign.
Chapter I
Three branches.
Three roads to power.
Each branch answers to a different electorate. The House faces its districts every two years, the Senate whole states every six, and the President the Electoral College every four. Federal judges, appointed for life, face no voters at all.
- I Article I
Legislative
Writes the laws, sets taxes and spending, declares war, confirms appointments, and can impeach and remove officials.
- U.S. Senator Voters of the whole state
- U.S. Representative Voters of one congressional district
Leaders: Mike Johnson · John Thune - II Article II
Executive
Enforces the laws, commands the armed forces, conducts foreign policy, and appoints judges and officers.
- President 538 electors of the Electoral College
- Vice President Electoral College (separate ballot, same electors)
Now: Donald Trump · JD Vance - III Article III
Judicial
Interprets the laws and the Constitution, and decides cases and controversies.
- Supreme Court Justice President nominates · Senate confirms
- Federal appellate & district judges President nominates · Senate confirms
The Court: John Roberts and 8 justices
Photos: Elena Kagan — Steve Petteway, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Sonia Sotomayor — Stacey Ilyse, CC BY 3.0 . Others public domain (official portraits: U.S. Congress via the unitedstates project). Via Wikimedia Commons and congress.gov.
Chapter II
Half a million
elected offices.
Americans elect roughly half a million officials, almost all of them local. Your ballot is built from every layer of government you live in, from Congress down to the school board.
- 01 Federal 537 President, Vice President, 100 senators, 435 representatives
- 02 State ≈18,000 Governors, row officers, 7,386 legislators, judges, commissioners
- 03 County 3,031 Commissioners, sheriffs, prosecutors, clerks, assessors, judges
- 04 Municipal & township 35,705 19,491 municipalities and 16,214 townships
- 05 School districts 12,546 Most with elected boards
- 06 Special districts 39,555 Water, fire, transit, hospitals, libraries, ports
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments; NCSL.
Explore states & counties →Chapter III
270
to win.
Presidents are chosen by 538 electors — one for each senator and representative, plus three for Washington, D.C. In 2024 the count was 312 to 226.
Build a path to 270 →Chapter IV
Follow
the money.
Candidates, parties and outside groups report what they raise and spend to the Federal Election Commission. Lobbyists file their own disclosures with Congress.
Chapter V
From registration
to the ballot box.
The 2026 midterms put 35 Senate seats, all 435 House seats and 36 governorships before voters, alongside thousands of judges, sheriffs, school boards and ballot measures. Four steps get you from registering to casting a vote.
- 01
Register
Every state but North Dakota requires registration. 20+ states plus DC allow same-day registration.
- 02
Know your ballot
Your ballot is built from every district you live in: federal, state, county, city, school and special.
- 03
Find your polling place
Polling places are assigned by precinct. Many states also offer early in-person voting.
- 04
Bring what's required
36 states request or require ID at the polls. The rules differ, so check your state's.