United States midterm elections are general elections held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November, midway through a president's four-year term, serving as a key referendum on the incumbent administration. They determine the composition of all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, roughly 33 or 34 of the 100 Senate seats, and the governors of 36 states, alongside numerous state and local officials. These elections notably see lower voter turnout—around 40% of eligible voters—compared to the 50-60% in presidential years. Since World War II, the president's party has historically suffered an average loss of 26 House seats and 4 Senate seats, with losses often intensifying during a second-term "six-year itch" (exceptions include 1934 under Franklin D. Roosevelt and 2002 under George W. Bush). This periodic "midterm penalty" frequently flips control of one or both chambers of Congress to the opposing party.