Midterm election voting sites will open on Tuesday across the country, providing Americans with the opportunity to solidify or imbalance the future of our government. 

With all House seats and 35 Senate seats – 14 Democrats and 21 Republicans – on the ballot, here’s why your vote for blue matters:

After Roe V. Wade was overturned this summer, many Democratic governors are attempting to codify the right for women to choose into state constitutions. With the election of Republican candidates, not only will these state agendas to conserve women’s rights be completely discarded, GOP leaders will push to pass a federal law outlawing abortions on a national level, Boston University politicial science professor Maxwell Palmer said on the university podcast Question of the Week. 

Under this basis, Republicans continue to discuss the re-evaluation of the legality of same-sex marriages as well. Movements to take away female reproductive rights represent a minority of Americans’ opinions as surveys show that only 37 percent of Americans believes abortion should be made illegal in all/most cases, according to a Pew Research survey.

This issue extends beyond just abortions. The Biden administration signed on Aug. 16 the Inflation Reduction Act which promises $369 billion toward Climate Change relief. As a result of the law, 30-40 percent of greenhouse gasses would be cut by 2030, according to Scientific American. Democrats have promised to expand social safety net protections such as these, but Republican majorities in the Senate have made these bills increasingly difficult to pass. This means that under Republican majorities in the Senate or House, requests for pandemic aid, medicare, and unemployment relief would no longer be prioritized and could become completely denied, according to an analysis by the Washington Post. 

Many Republicans claim that under Democratic leaders America’s economic state has hit all-time lows. But the country’s economic crisis is not defined as a recession as unemployment has remained low and job opportunities increase. Instead, with an imbalance between our legislative chambers, government shutdowns over debated bills grow more likely, Professor michael Maxwell told Joel Brown on Question of the Week. 

Shutdowns are known for causing economic collapses and federal workforce damage as reported by Vox and many other economic analysis’ after the 2019 shutdown during President Trump’s term. Electing a Republican majority in either chamber will only cause further damage to our economic state. 

The US is also not the only country that’s seen an increase in inflation. In fact, several other countries have felt much worse fiscal impacts in recent months. According to an economic analysis published by Forbes, there is an international inflation crisis due to the financial consequences of the pandemic, the war between Russia and Ukraine, and a rise in demand for products at a rapid rate. Republicans are quick to blame democrats for an issue that every country, regardless of party leadership, is struggling to face. 

Republicans continue to attack Democratic plans while having no formally proposed policy agenda themselves. Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell has said Republicans will wait to announce one until they win back the Senate, according to The Washington Post. This confirms that Republicans have no actionable solutions to issues they pointedly criticize and blame on Democrats. 

The disbanding of the January 6 Committee is perhaps the most concerning Republican initiative. Several Republican candidates, such as Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), have questioned the validity of President Biden’s presidency and the 2020 election, according to The Washington Post. If given leadership positions, these candidates are determined to cease all January 6 Committee investigations. 

This is completely contrary to the desires of the American people who rank “threats to democracy” as their top concern, outvoting the economy and immigration, according to an NBC poll, The largest threat to American democracy occurred on Jan. 6 with countless citizens and even Republican leaders harboring violence to the Capitol Building. 

These individuals, led by former President Trump, must be held accountable for their dangerous actions. A GOP-controlled Congress would eliminate efforts to do so. Some representatives even threaten to launch an investigation into Biden’s presidency and his son, Hunter Biden.

“I have consistently said President Biden should be impeached for intentionally opening our border and making Americans less safe,” Rep. Bob Good (R-VA) told The Hill.

These unnecessary proceedings would be a massive waste of time, energy, and money if enacted by the Republican party. 

Midterm elections are known for their lower voter turnout compared to presidential elections, but they are just as important to the safety and stability of America, especially this year. Under the current circumstances, it is in citizens’ best interests to vote blue this election.