The November 3 Midterms and Your Civics Test: Which Answers Could Change, and When
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. It is a midterm election: there is no race for President, but every seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, about a third of the U.S. Senate, and governor’s offices in 36 states are on the ballot.
If you are preparing for your naturalization interview, that matters for a handful of civics questions whose answer is a person serving now. Here is what can change, what can’t, and the one rule that settles every case.
The USCIS rule: name the person serving on your interview day
USCIS says it plainly on its Check for Test Updates page:
“On the civics test, some answers may change because of federal or state elections, certain judicial appointments, or due to statutory changes or updates. You must answer the question with the name of the official serving at the time of your naturalization interview.”
So the question is never “who won?” It is “who holds the office today?” A candidate who wins on November 3 is not the answer until they are sworn in, and the person they replace is still the right answer until that day.
Which 2025 civics test questions could change
These are the questions USCIS lists as “answers may change” for the 2025 test, and what the midterms do to each one.
| Question | Could the Nov. 3 election change it? | When a change would take effect |
|---|---|---|
| Q23. Who is one of your state’s U.S. senators now? | Maybe. Only if one of your state’s seats is on the ballot and a new person wins. | When the new Congress starts, January 3, 2027 |
| Q29. Name your U.S. representative. | Maybe. All 435 House seats are up. | January 3, 2027 |
| Q30. What is the name of the Speaker of the House now? | Maybe. The new House elects its Speaker when it meets. | When the new House votes, in January 2027 |
| Q61. Who is the governor of your state now? | Maybe, if your state elects a governor this year. | On your state’s inauguration day (most are in January, but dates vary) |
| Q38. What is the name of the President now? | No. The President is not on the 2026 ballot. | — |
| Q39. What is the name of the Vice President now? | No. | — |
| Q57. Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now? | No. The Chief Justice is appointed, not elected. | — |
The new Congress date comes from the 20th Amendment, which says the terms of senators and representatives end, and new terms begin, at noon on January 3.
Q62, “What is the capital of your state?”, does not change with elections. Neither do the “how it works” answers, which are the same no matter who wins:
- Q31. Who does a U.S. senator represent? Citizens (or people) of their state.
- Q32. Who elects U.S. senators? Citizens from their state.
- Q33. Who does a member of the House represent? Citizens (or people) in their congressional district.
- Q34. Who elects members of the House? Citizens from their congressional district.
Three situations, worked out
Your interview is before November 3. Nothing has changed. Give today’s names.
Your interview is between November 3 and January 3. The election is over, but the new Congress has not started. Your current senators and representative are still serving, even if they lost or did not run again, so they are still the correct answers. The same goes for your governor until your state’s inauguration day.
Your interview is after January 3, 2027. If your state or district elected someone new, the new person is now serving and is the answer. Check the Speaker too, since the new House picks one when it convenes.
When in doubt, check the official sources USCIS points to: senate.gov for senators, house.gov for your representative, and usa.gov/states-and-territories for your governor.
How CitizenExams handles the changeover
Our My Officials page shows the people serving now for your state, and the practice test and study pages use the same list. After the results are certified, we plan to add each winner with the date they take office, so you’ll see both names: who is serving now and who takes over, and when. For a short time after a changeover, our practice tool accepts either name so you aren’t marked wrong while you adjust. At your real interview, give the person serving that day.
Taking the 2008 test instead?
If you filed Form N-400 before October 20, 2025, you take the 2008 civics test, and the same rule applies, but the question numbers differ: senators are Q20, your representative is Q23, the governor is Q43, and the Speaker is Q47. The 2008 test also asks Q46, “What is the political party of the President now?”, which the midterms don’t change. Not sure which test you’re taking? See Which Civics Test Am I Taking?
Becoming a citizen before Election Day?
If you take the Oath of Allegiance before November 3, you may be able to vote in this election, but only if you register by your state’s deadline, and deadlines differ by state. Vote.gov links to each state’s official registration page. Some naturalization ceremonies also offer voter registration on site; see USCIS Restores Nonprofit Voter Registration at Naturalization Ceremonies.
Study these related questions
- Congress on the 2025 Civics Test: House and Senate
- Vice President, Cabinet, and Electoral College
- Who Does What? Congress, the President, and the Courts
- Civics Questions That Depend on Where You Live
- Free scored civics practice test
Sources: USCIS Check for Test Updates (last reviewed 09/18/2025, checked October 19, 2026); U.S. Constitution, 20th Amendment; National Governors Association, 2026 Gubernatorial Elections; USCIS 2025 civics test question list. Photo: A. Shaker, Voice of America, November 8, 2016 (public domain).
CitizenExams is an independent study site and is not affiliated with USCIS. This post summarizes public USCIS materials for study. It is not legal advice.