midterm election

English

Etymology

Except in the rare case that a president leaves office early, the midterm election occurs roughly halfway through their term of office.

Noun

midterm election (plural midterm elections or midterms)

1. (US politics) An election held every four years to elect members of Congress in years the president is not also elected.
   • 2008 April 23, Amy Sullivan, “A Primary with No End”, in Time, retrieved 3 July 2015:

     Most of the rational world . . . foresaw a smooth ride to victory for Democrats. They had, after all, the wind at their backs from the 2006 midterm elections.

Further reading

• midterm election on Wikipedia.Wikipedia