The US midterm elections are on — and if Republicans take control of either the Senate or House (which Democrats have held by a very slim margin) it will have a major impact on President Joe Biden's agenda.
Here's your quick catch-up, plus a showcase of the ABC's best midterms content, to get you up to speed.
Who, what, when: 3 quick questions
- What's up for grabs? Only part of the Senate, so 35 seats, but all 435 in the House (Democrats hold a five-seat majority with three seats vacant). Voters in 36 states are also choosing governors, and there are other questions being put to voters on issues like marijuana and abortion
- When are the midterm elections? Over 40 million Americans already cast ballots in early voting, but for the rest, polls open in the morning on November 8 (some from 6am Eastern, which is 10pm AEDT). First polls close around 12 hours later, so 10am AEDT on Wednesday.
- Why are they called "the midterms"? When they're held at the midpoint of a president's term, these elections are called midterms.
Impact on 2024 presidential election
A bad night for Democrats could undermine Mr Biden's rationale for a second term, while sweeping Republican victories could help Mr Trump with another potential White House bid.
Good-government advocates are worried about dozens of election deniers running for state office.
In Nevada, Republican Jim Marchant is running to become the secretary of state, the state's chief elections official. He is head of the America First Secretary of State Coalition, a collection of Trump loyalists who falsely say the 2020 election was plagued by voter fraud.
It's the same in Arizona and Michigan, where fellow coalition members Mark Finchem and Kristina Karamo are running for secretary of state.
Other candidates could use a strong showing to position themselves for the 2024 ticket — Arizona's Republican candidate for governor is a possible Trump running mate, while Florida governor Ron DeSantis, is also considering a 2024 presidential bid, whether Mr Trump runs or not.
