By Nina Weiland/Aggie Insider Editor and Multimedia Reporter
Every two years, Americans head to the polls to elect members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. Midterm elections take place halfway through a president’s four-year term and can influence the balance of power in Congress.
Historically, midterm elections have resulted in changes to congressional representation, making voter participation an important part of the electoral process.
As the 2026 midterm elections approach, how do Delaware Valley University students and local community members view the importance of voting?
“I feel that the upcoming midterms are extremely important this year, and every year actually. I personally, am going out to vote even if I have to drive four hours to do it,” said Adrianna Dotzel, a senior at DelVal. “I hate when people say that they’re not going to vote because they’re input isn’t gonna make a difference, because if every single person that I have met who said that, had gone out and voted, maybe their vote would make a difference.”
For some voters, the importance of the 2026 midterm elections comes down to the candidates and the decisions being made at the local and national levels.
“I would say these types of elections are very important, especially this one. It’s an interesting one, since the federal House race in this district is Bob Harvey versus Brian Fitzpatrick, who would be independent.” Said Matthew Smith, a community member interviewed at the polls.
Social media has also become a place where voters are seeing conversations about the importance of participating in elections.
“I feel like I’ve been seeing a lot more on social media, across most states, about how important it is to come out and vote, and that feels a lot different even than the presidential election.” Said Trinity Edmond, a community member interviewed at the polls. “People were like, “Oh, you should vote,” but with this one, I feel like there’s a lot more people talking about it than before, especially on social media, at least that I’ve noticed.”
What do the students think?
At DelVal, students were also asked whether they were registered to vote and whether they planned to participate in the 2026 midterm elections.
“I am voting, I feel very confident in voting.” said Natalie Rossi, a senior at DelVal. “If I wasn’t registered to vote, my biggest question would be how to register.”
While some students expressed confidence in their plans to vote, others discussed the challenges of finding reliable information about candidates and election issues.
“There’s a lot of information out there in the media. Specifically, where I watch it from is the TV and it’s always very, biased. And it’s both parties always fighting against each other. So it’s a lot of unreliable information and it doesn’t help,” said Yanely Molano, a senior at DelVal.
During interviews at the polls, voters of different ages were also asked what motivated them to participate in the 2026 midterm elections. A common theme among their responses was the importance of having their voices heard.
“I think people are finally trying to make their voices heard in a way that feels important to them.”
Trinity Edmond, Doylestown voter
One Aggie Insider reporter also asked community voter Rosemary Turunc what advice she would give to DelVal students and other college students about participating in elections.
“They should understand that they have the right to vote, and they should exercise it. Because if you don’t like what’s going on, but you choose to do nothing about it, you’re never going to make a change,” Turunc said.
As the 2026 midterm elections bring voters to the polls, DelVal students and community members shared their perspectives on voter participation, the importance of reliable election information, and the role individuals play in civic engagement.
Hear more from students about the Midterm Elections on our podcast!
For more information about voting, voter registration, and the 2026 elections, visit Spotlight PA’s 2026 Voting Guides.