Explainers
How election rules and procedures work, in plain language.
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44% of Americans Had Trouble Paying for a Basic Necessity in the Past Year, Pew Finds
A new Pew survey finds 44% of U.S. adults had trouble paying for medical care, transportation, housing or food in the past year. Here’s what the numbers show, what they don’t, and how they fit the cost-of-living debate three weeks before the midterms.
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How a Discharge Petition Works — and Why It Rarely Succeeds
A discharge petition lets a House majority force a vote over leadership’s objections. Here’s how it works, why most fail, and what the 2025 Epstein files petition showed.
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How Election Recounts Work, and How Often They Change the Winner
Recount rules are set state by state. Here’s what triggers one, how it’s done, and what 24 years of data say about how often recounts flip a result.
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What Happens After Election Day: Counting, Canvassing and Certification
Election night results are unofficial. Here’s how votes are counted, checked and certified in the weeks after a midterm, and why some races take days to call.