Mid-term elections

In between presidential elections the US votes in elections called mid-terms.

Mid-terms do not pick a president.

Instead they select lots of US politicians who work in two government buildings or houses, called the House of Representatives and the Senate. Together the buildings are called Congress.

Both US political parties - Republicans and Democrats - want to control the houses by having more politicians elected to them than their opponents.

If the houses are controlled by the party different to the one of the president it can be very hard for him to do what he wants.