What's on the Ballot? 

In the lead up to the midterm elections we’ll be taking some time to break down the key roles and responsibilities of the various offices voters will see on their ballot. This weekend we have a double feature: U.S. Congress.

The U.S. Congress has two bodies: 

• U.S. Senate: Made up of 100 senators that serve 6 year terms. Two senators represent the state of Wisconsin.

• U.S. House of Representatives: Made up of 435 representatives that serve 2 year terms. Wisconsin has 8 representatives (also called congresspersons).

Each member of congress is sent to the capitol to represent the voters in their district. U.S. House of Representative districts have changed since the last election due to redistricting. 

What does congress do?

Congress is the law-making body. Congress also allocates federal spending through the budget and appropriation bills. Proposed laws (bills) can start in either the Senate or the House of Representatives. Both houses must pass a bill before sending it to the president for signature or veto. Congress can vote to override a veto.

Why does this matter?

The laws passed by the U.S. Congress and decisions that are made about how our tax dollars are spent impact each and every Wisconsinite. Congress makes an impact on taxes, education, healthcare, natural resources, voting rights and more. The future of our country is determined by the members of the U.S. Congress.

The Wisconsin U.S. Senate race is considered one of the most competitive senatorial races in the country. The outcome of this race may determine which party has control of the U.S. Senate. Also Wisconsin Congressional Districts 1 and 3 are considered to be especially competitive. Wisconsin voters have a lot of power to determine which party has control of congress.