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Midterm elections
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A midterm election is an even-year election where the entire U.S. House and one-third of the U.S. Senate are up for election, but the president is not. Midterm elections always occur two years after a presidential election.
First midterms vs. second midterms
Because the president was limited to two terms in office by the passage of the 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1951, two types of midterm elections are now possible: those that occur during a president's first term in office and those that occur during a president's second term (if re-elected). These are referred to as first midterms and second midterms, respectively.
For example, President Barack Obama (D) was elected in 2008 and was re-elected in 2012. His first midterm was in 2010 and his second midterm was in 2014. On the other hand, President George H.W. Bush (R) was first elected in 1988 and was not re-elected in 1992. This meant that his first and only midterm was in 1990.
The only president to have more than two midterm elections was Franklin Roosevelt. His midterm elections occurred in 1934, 1938, and 1942.
See also
Footnotes
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