Mid-term elections?

Question

Could someone please explain to this stupid Scottish bloke what exactly the American mid-term elections are and what purpose they serve?

Answer 1

It's to elect Congress, which is the Senate and House of Representatives.

In British terminology, it would be like if we elected a Prime Minister every four years; the Mid-Terms would be to elect the House of Commons and one-third of the House of Lords and would take place every two years (ie midway between the Prime Minister's term)

Answer 2

There is a major election every 2 years in the U.S. The President is elected every 4 years to office. Because the American public is so myopic and think the President alone runs the country, they measure the elections based on this. The election between the Presidential elections is called the mid-term election (it's mid way through the President's term in office). During the mid-term election, the entire U.S. House of Representative is elected (they server only a 2 year term) and 1/3 of the U.S. Senate is elected (they serve a 6 year term).

Answer 3

The mid terms are to elect the congress in the U.S. the house of Representatives have two year terms and must be elected between presidential elections. The Senate is elected to 6 year terms and 1/3 of the them are elected every two years and this also falls between the presidential election, hence mid term election when the office of president is not up for election. Oh maybe it would help if I mentioned that the president is elected for a four year term.