Changes

In every ''even-numbered'' year, 435 members of the House of Representatives and one-third of the members of the U.S. Senate are elected to serve in Washington, D.C.  In every year divisible by four, a president is also elected; these are called presidential elections, and other elections are called "midterm elections" because they occur halfway during a president's term.

In every ''even-numbered'' year, 435 members of the House of Representatives and one-third of the members of the U.S. Senate are elected to serve in Washington, D.C.  In every year divisible by four, a president is also elected; these are called presidential elections, and other elections are called "midterm elections" because they occur halfway during a president's term.

American government is like a complex clock, with different parts having their own special functions, often independent of each other.  Elections are akin to ''setting'' the clock to a particular time, from which point it starts to operate forward.

American government is like a complex clock, with different parts having their own special functions, often independent of each other.  Elections are akin to ''setting'' the clock to a particular time, from which point it starts to operate forward.