Latest midterm elections: Candidates in final sprint as new polls show Democrats ahead in 5 key Senate races

Voters cast ballots in the midterm elections, but exactly what they choose depends on where they are in the country.

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, as well as one-third of the members of the Senate, are elected at midterms, while states can also add local elections to their voters’ ballots.

Here’s a closer look at representatives, senators and governors, some of the key positions up for grabs in the midterm races.

A total of 435 representatives, or congressmen and women, make up the House of Representatives, also known as the House.

The House, alongside the Senate, constitutes the U.S. Congress, which has the sole power to enact laws and declare war, according to the White House. Both major American political parties want to control Congress.

Voted every two years, representatives are able to introduce bills and resolutions, offer amendments, and impeach federal officials, among other duties.

The number of representatives per state is proportional to its population. There are currently 218 Republican representatives, 214 Democratic representatives and one independent representative in the House, according to the House Press Gallery.

In this year’s elections, 35 of the 100 Senate seats will be up for grabs. Each American state has two senators, whose terms last a total of six years. About a third of Senate seats are up for grabs in any given election.

Currently, 53 senators are Republicans, 45 Democrats and two independents.

The Senate is the only power capable of confirming presidential nominations and ratifying treaties, according to the White House, with two exceptions: when a vice president is appointed or when the treaties concern foreign trade. Then the House of Representatives must also approve.

The Senate also judges impeachment cases against federal officials.

Voters will elect governors in 36 states on November 3.

The National Governors Association (NGA) describes governors as the “chief executive officers” of the nation’s states, as well as U.S. territories.

Governors are often responsible for implementing state laws and policies, appointing state officials, approving state budgets and handling local emergencies and disasters, according to the NGA. They also liaise with the federal government on behalf of their state.

Notably, the degree of power a governor can exercise varies among states, according to the NGA, based on state constitutions, laws, and traditions.

A governor’s term is generally four years, except in New Hampshire and Vermont, where the governor’s term lasts two years.