▁the ▁ 1 0 0 ▁seats ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Senate . ▁▁ ▁In ▁addition , ▁ 3 4 ▁of ▁the ▁ 5 0 ▁U . S . ▁states ▁elect ▁their ▁govern ors ▁for ▁four - year ▁terms ▁during ▁mid term ▁elections , ▁while ▁Verm ont ▁and ▁New ▁Ham pshire ▁elect ▁govern ors ▁to ▁two - year ▁terms ▁in ▁both ▁mid term ▁and ▁president ial ▁elections . ▁Thus ▁ 3 6 ▁govern ors ▁are ▁elected ▁during ▁mid term ▁elections . ▁Many ▁states ▁also ▁elect ▁officers ▁to ▁their ▁state ▁legisl atures ▁in ▁mid term ▁years . ▁There ▁are ▁also ▁elections ▁held ▁at ▁the ▁municipal ▁level . ▁On ▁the ▁ball ot ▁are ▁many ▁may ors , ▁other ▁local ▁public ▁offices , ▁and ▁a ▁wide ▁variety ▁of ▁citiz en ▁initi atives . ▁ ▁Special ▁elections ▁are ▁often ▁held ▁in ▁conj unction ▁with ▁regular ▁elections , ▁so ▁additional ▁Sen ators , ▁govern ors ▁and ▁other ▁local ▁officials ▁may ▁be ▁elected ▁to ▁partial ▁terms . ▁ ▁Mid term ▁elections ▁histor ically ▁generate ▁lower ▁vot er ▁turn out ▁than ▁president ial ▁elections . ▁While ▁the ▁latter ▁have ▁had ▁turn outs ▁of ▁about ▁ 5 0 – 6 0 % ▁over ▁the ▁past ▁ 6 0 ▁years , ▁only ▁about ▁ 4 0 % ▁of ▁those ▁el ig ible ▁to ▁vote ▁actually ▁go ▁to ▁the ▁pol ls ▁in ▁mid term ▁elections . ▁Histor ically , ▁mid term ▁elections ▁often ▁see ▁the ▁president ' s ▁party ▁lose ▁seats ▁in ▁Congress , ▁and ▁also ▁frequently ▁see ▁the ▁president ' s ▁opposite -