WASHINGTON – Election week is finally here!
Whether you're a Republican, Democrat, Independent or somewhere in between, we've got you covered all week.
Here's a list of what you should know, whether you'll be heading to the polls, wondering why this year's midterm matters or seeking results Tuesday night and beyond.
What's at stake
Before anything, it's important to know why your vote matters.
This year's midterm elections won't just decide who takes control of the House or Senate. The midterms are seen in large part as a referendum of President Donald Trump, whose two years as president have highlighted how politically-divided our nation currently stands.
Members of the House of Representatives are elected to two-year terms, meaning all 435 seats are to be decided. The Senate is a different story, where lawmakers are elected for six-year terms; about a third are up for re-election every two years.
Energetic Democrats are hoping to gain at least some control in Congress and many believe they have a good chance of taking over the House. Polls suggest it's likely that Republicans retain their majority in the Senate.
If Democrats take control of the House or Senate, liberals would have subpoena and investigative powers. Democrats would head committees throughout Congress and have the authority to look into many of the controversial issues they've railed against since President Donald Trump took office, including the president's tax returns.
IDs, voter registration and other tidbits
Before you head to the polls, there are a few things you should research beforehand.
You should also make sure to do your homework on the candidates and the issues on the ballot. BallotReady has sample ballots for races nationwide, so you can see what yours will look like and research the issues and candidates.
Another key thing to know is what sort of identification you need to cast a ballot. Thirty-four states have laws requiring a person show some manner of identification before voting. Seven of those, Tennessee, Kansas, Wisconsin, Mississippi, Georgia, Virginia and Indiana, require a photo ID.
In Florida, voters without proper identification can cast provisional ballots.
If you aren't sure whether your state requires any sort of identification, you can check here.
Before heading to the polls, it's also a good idea to verify your voter registration. Many states clean up their voter rolls to purge inactive voters or those who have moved out of state.
To make sure you're still registered, go to Vote.org. In Florida, the deadline to register for the midterm election was Oct. 9.
Also, be careful when thinking about taking a selfie of you and that ballot. It's illegal to take a photo in an election booth in a number of states, including New York and Illinois.
The Associated Press examined the laws in all 50 states during the 2016 election cycle and found the practice was illegal in more than 15 states.
Where to vote and when do polls close
Where and when you cast your ballot depends where you live.
Most polling places open anywhere from 6 to 8 a.m. and close from 6 to 9 p.m. local time. These schedules vary by state but can also differ by county or city.
Elections are run differently in each state, but every state has its own website where you should be able to find your polling place, along with when it opens and closes.
Where do I vote? Use our 10News tool to find your polling place.
Where to find results
Results could come fast or take hours, days or weeks. Each polling station sends its results to a county administrator. From there, the results go to the state agency charged with verifying results, in many states, it's the Secretary of State.
The easiest place to find those results is wtsp.com. Bookmark our homepage for election day.
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