Midterm Voters Face Decisions Beyond the Presidency, CBS News Reports

CBS News reported that the 2026 midterm elections will determine several outcomes even though the president is not on the ballot. In an CBS News explainer on midterm voting, the network asked why voting still matters in a year without a presidential contest, and it linked that question to the offices and measures voters will settle.

According to CBS News, the midterms will decide control of the House and the Senate. The network also said that governor's mansions and ballot questions are among the matters the 2026 elections will determine.

CBS News headlined the piece "Your vote is your voice," a phrase that frames the ballot as a means of expression within the outcomes it lists.

The explainer, according to CBS News, answers its opening question by pointing to the offices and questions on the ballot rather than to the presidency. The categories it lists span federal legislative control, state executive offices, and ballot measures.

CBS News published the explainer on October 28, 2026. The summary available for this story lists only general categories, namely House and Senate control, governor's mansions, and ballot questions, and it does not name specific races, candidates, or measures.

The CBS News summary available for this story contains no figures on turnout or polling, and this account adds none.

Sources: CBS News: "Your vote is your voice": A look at why voting matters.