Sources & References: The Midterms Matter More Than You Think

Sources & References

1. U.S. Voter Turnout Statistics

   • United States Elections Project – 2022 Midterm Turnout Data
     Source: electproject.org/2022g

     • 2022 midterm turnout: 45.1%

     • Approximately 107.7 million votes cast in U.S. House elections

     • Over 130 million eligible voters did not participate

   • Presidential Election Turnout (2020)
     Source: Census.gov Voting and Registration

     • 2020 turnout: 66.8% of eligible voters

2. Congressional Power and Oversight Role

   • Congressional Research Service – Congressional Oversight Manual
     Source: crsreports.congress.gov

     • Congress has constitutional authority to check the executive branch through oversight, investigations, and legislation.

3. Why Midterms Matter

   • Brennan Center for Justice – Midterms Impact on Democracy
     Source: brennancenter.org

     • Explains how midterms affect control of Congress, state legislatures, and the judiciary.

4. Civic Engagement and Local Elections

   • National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) – Role of State and Local Governments
     Source: ncsl.org

     • Local officials influence voting rights, education, healthcare, and more.

5. Voting Tools and Resources

   • National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS)
     nass.org/Can-I-Vote – Official site to check registration

   • Vote.org – Polling Place Locator
     vote.org/polling-place-locator – Find your voting location

6. Political Influence and Donor Threats

   • NPR – Elon Musk Political Funding Threats
     Source: npr.org

     • Musk publicly threatened to fund GOP challengers to unseat moderates who didn’t align with his views.

7. Historical Voter Suppression & Civil Rights Movement

   • National Museum of African American History & Culture – Voting Rights History
     Source: nmaahc.si.edu

     • Context for images and discussion around civic participation, past and present