The high-stakes presidential contest between President Donald Trump and Vice President Joe Biden is heating up as election day looms less than six months away — but control of the presidency is far from the only thing on the ballot this year.
In addition to the battle for the White House, there are thousands of crucial US Senate, US House, state-level, and local races taking place this November that will shape the balance of power across the United States for years to come.
And in many cases, the least glamorous offices and most overlooked officials have the most power in shaping the policies that most influence Americans' lives — especially at the state level.
In addition to all 435 US House seats, there are 33 US Senate seats, 11 governorships, dozens of other powerful statewide offices including attorneys general, treasurers and auditors, and thousands of legislators in 84 state legislative chambers up for re-election this year.
Control over the US Congress will be essential for both parties either to pass — or thwart — the next president's legislative agenda, including federal coronavirus recovery initiatives.
At the state level, the dozens of statewide officials and state legislators, who introduce, pass, and implement far more legislation than Congress, will help decide how their states combat the COVID-19 outbreak and recover economically from the crisis.
Here are the most important elections other than the presidential race you need to know about:
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