Milwaukeeans will go to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 5 for the general election.
In addition to presidential candidates, there will be candidates for Congress, which include the Senate and the House of Representatives.
But what do those people do?
Angela Lang, the executive director of Black Leaders Organizing for Communities, or BLOC, said federal elections impact how some parts of state budgets are able to be resourced.
“People may remember the child tax credit that happened during the pandemic,” she said. “Or any of the COVID resources, like construction made possible through some of the ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) dollars.”
Legislation, oversight and working with constituents are three main responsibilities of Congress, according to Philip Rocco, associate professor of political science at Marquette University.
“The Constitution gives Congress, which is composed of two chambers, the Senate and House, immense power over really important national policy making, and that ranges from the power to tax, the power to coin and borrow money, the power to regulate interstate commerce, the power to spend money for defense and for items related to the general welfare,” Rocco said.
What does a U.S. senator do?
Each state has two senators, who are elected on a staggered basis to six-year terms.
Senators write, review and vote on legislation and serve on one or more committees.
The Senate requires a supermajority of votes in most cases to cut off debate on a bill and call a vote, which can drag out the legislative process.
“So for a party that holds the presidency and a majority of House seats, holding a simple majority of Senate seats is usually not enough to enact its legislative program,” Rocco said.
The Senate confirms the president’s Cabinet, judicial and diplomatic appointees by holding hearings on a nominee’s qualifications.
In November, Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin is up for reelection. Her main challenger is Republican businessman Eric Hovde.
Also on the ballot is Phil Anderson,of the Disrupt The Corruption Party and Thomas Leager, of America First Party.
“As senator, I am elected by the people of Wisconsin to work for them and ensure their voices are heard in our federal government,” Baldwin said in a statement to Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service.
Baldwin said she meets with people throughout the state to hear their thoughts on different issues.
“I then take everything I hear back to Washington to cast votes and draft bills that will deliver solutions to make Wisconsin families’ lives better,” she said.
Hovde did not respond to a request for comment.
Find your district, read about primary election results and get more analysis from the Wisconsin Watch Voter Guide.
What does a representative in the U.S. House do?
The House of Representatives is made up of 235 representatives who serve two-year terms.
Like senators, U.S. representatives work on passing legislation and often can move bills faster than the Senate.
“When bills come to the floor in the house, they come with a rule attached to them that specifies how many hours of debate they will get,” Rocco said.
Representatives hold hearings on legislation or investigations through their committees.
The House has exclusive power to start revenue bills, impeach federal officials and elect the president if there is a tie in the Electoral College.
Wisconsin has eight representatives in the House. Milwaukee falls into District 4, where U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Milwaukee), is up for reelection against Republican Tim Rogers and Independent Robert Raymond.
What does a state senator do?
Both state senators and representatives work on writing and voting on bills that become state law if the Legislature approves and the governor signs them.
The legislature determines a state budget every other year. Most officials oversee a staff that works with people in their districts.
State senators approve political appointees made by the governor, including Cabinet secretaries, and each senator serves on one or more of 20 committees.
State senators are elected to four-year terms. Each of the 33 members of the state Senate represents roughly 175,000 people.
What does a state representative do?
“A state rep. is also a part of things like the budget process and different policies and legislative issues,” Lang said. “They work between negotiating back and forth bills and also the budget as well.”
State representatives work on writing and reviewing legislation. A representative serves on one or more of 37 committees.
Wisconsin’s 99 state assembly members are elected to two-year terms. Each member of the Assembly represents roughly 59,000 people.
Many of the state assembly seats are in “safe” districts, which are dominated by either Republican or Democratic voters.
Some of these districts had primary races in August but now only have a candidate from one party expected on the ballot.
Lang said it’s important for people to understand that the presidential campaigns typically have more resources to pay for ads than local candidates.
“And so it’s important to make sure we’re paying attention on all levels, and understanding that it’s more than just voting, it’s also staying engaged year round,” she said
This story was produced with support from Wisconsin Watch’s politics bureau/Voter Guide.
Meredith Melland is the neighborhoods reporter for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service and a corps member of Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities. Report for America plays no role in editorial decisions in the NNS newsroom.
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