The Midterms Talk with Professor Glenn Altsculer was a valuable opportunity to engage with the midterm elections and gain a better understanding of U.S. politics overall. This year marked my first opportunity to vote in a midterm election, and, frankly, I had a considerably limited understanding of their role in the overall state of American politics. While I understood the importance of voting in general, my appreciation for the significance of the midterms seemed more based on the vague notion of their being pivotal for the nation, rather than actual substance. Professor Altschuler’s talk clarified the purpose and importance of midterm elections in general, and these ones in particular. I was most struck by the concreteness of it all. Through the polarized, reactionary politics presented on the news and social media today, so much of politics seems fueled by emotions and complex, deep-rooted power dynamics. While this representation draws countless views and engagement, it also makes politics seem far more unapproachable, leading voters, myself included, to feel like powerless spectators. In contrast, Professor Altschuler’s representation was far more algorithmic than it was theatrical. Starting from a high level, he explained the basic power dynamics of the parties within the two houses, then proceeded to discuss individual elections. Working through the particulars of several critical races, he was able to explain how outcomes are decided, which voter groups are important where, how certain races were similar/different to others, and how the results actually impact legislative control. He powerfully laid out an otherwise convoluted, emotional political system in terms of critical figures and statistics. Most notable was that his explanation was largely objective. His talk encouraged voter understanding and voter engagement without promoting or deriding one party, one candidate, or one position. In an otherwise nontransparent political landscape, it was refreshing to have a political conversation with the sole goal of promoting understanding and active engagement. Especially as a new voter, it was valuable to understand the role of midterm elections in the general political cycle, rather than understand them only with regard to this particular election cycle. This talk encouraged the type of informed voting that I hope to both observe and participate in in upcoming elections.