Former Vice President Kamala Harris is urging Americans to participate in the November 3 midterm elections, warning that the outcome carries significant consequences for the country and emphasizing that political power ultimately rests with voters. Her Election Day message comes after weeks of campaigning for Democratic candidates and repeatedly criticizing President Donald Trump’s administration, which she has described as corrupt, callous and incompetent. Harris is encouraging Americans who have not yet voted to make a plan while asking those who have already cast their ballots to help prepare their communities.
In a November 3 post on X, Harris wrote:
There is so much at stake in the midterm elections.
If you have already voted: Thank you, and make sure your community is ready. If you haven’t voted yet, make sure you have a plan to vote today, Tuesday, November 3.
The power is with the people.
The message contains three distinct points. First, Harris argues that the midterm elections have significant consequences, although she does not identify a particular race or policy in the post. Second, she asks people who have already voted to encourage participation within their communities. Finally, she emphasizes that voters, rather than political leaders alone, determine the direction of the country through their participation in elections.
Harris also followed up with a separate post directing Americans to IWillVote.com to locate their polling places. The website provides state-specific information about voting procedures and a voter assistance hotline, giving her Election Day message a practical component beyond simply encouraging turnout. Her decision to include the resource reinforces the central purpose of the statement: getting people to participate before polling closes.
Harris has repeatedly made voting a central message
The language in Harris’s latest post closely resembles messages she delivered during the 2022 midterm elections, when she was serving as vice president under President Joe Biden. During that election cycle, she repeatedly emphasized the influence individual voters could have on national policy and urged Americans to recognize their ability to shape the country’s political direction.
In one message distributed through the Democratic Party, Harris emphasized the importance of remembering the power of ordinary Americans, stating: “I cannot stress enough folks remembering the power of the people. It’s your power. It’s your power. You go to vote.” The similarity to her November 3 statement is particularly notable because both messages place responsibility for political outcomes directly in the hands of voters.
During the 2022 midterm campaign, Harris also connected voter participation to specific policy questions, particularly reproductive rights and voting rights. She argued that electing additional Democratic senators would help the administration advance federal protections for reproductive health care following the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade. She also urged voters to consider whether Congress would protect voting rights and other federal priorities.
Those arguments demonstrate that her use of the phrase “so much hangs in the balance” was not limited to general appeals for participation. During her time as vice president, Harris frequently connected election results to the balance of power in Congress and the ability of the administration to advance its legislative agenda.
Harris has also become increasingly vocal in her criticism of Trump since leaving the vice presidency. In April 2025, during her first major public political speech after leaving office, she criticized Trump’s policies and warned that the administration was undermining important American institutions and principles. Her remarks marked an early indication that she intended to remain an active public critic of the Republican administration rather than withdraw from national political debates.
Her criticism became more direct during the 2026 midterm campaign. In an October 2026 campaign appearance in Las Vegas, Harris described the Trump administration as an exceptionally troubling government, saying: “We are witnessing pure brutality come out of what is undoubtedly the most corrupt, callous and incompetent presidential administration.” The remarks were part of her effort to mobilize Democratic voters ahead of the November elections.
Harris subsequently campaigned in several states, including Georgia, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire and Wisconsin, appearing alongside Democratic candidates in competitive races. Her campaign appearances focused on criticizing Trump’s leadership, encouraging Democratic participation and making the midterm elections a priority. During one appearance, she also emphasized the urgency of the current election cycle, stating: “2028 don’t matter if we don’t do 2026 right.”
The broader political significance of her Election Day appeal is tied to the congressional balance of power. Republicans entered the November 3 elections controlling both chambers of Congress, giving Trump substantial legislative support during his second presidency. Democrats are attempting to regain control of the House and Senate, which would give them greater influence over legislation, congressional investigations and oversight of the administration.
The midterms also provide voters with an opportunity to evaluate the president’s performance before the next presidential election. Reuters reported that economic concerns, including rising consumer prices, have become important factors in several competitive races. The outcome could therefore influence not only the remainder of Trump’s presidency but also the political environment leading into the 2028 presidential campaign.
Although Harris’s November 3 post does not explicitly mention Trump, Republicans or any particular Democratic candidate, it follows a sustained campaign in which she has directly criticized the administration and urged voters to oppose its political direction. Her emphasis on community participation also suggests that she views turnout as a responsibility extending beyond individual voters to the people around them.
For Harris, the central message is that the midterm elections are an opportunity for Americans to exercise political influence while determining which party will control Congress during the remainder of Trump’s second term. Her closing declaration, “The power is with the people,” echoes a message she has delivered throughout her political career: that elections remain one of the most consequential ways ordinary Americans can influence the direction of their government.