Voters wait in line in 2012. Photo courtesy of Aaron Webb.

Do you approve of the job Congress is doing? Only 14% of Americans say yes. But here’s a silver lining that may surprise you: low approval for Congress often translates to more people turning out to vote.

This makes sense, of course. If you don’t like what’s happening, you should do what you can to change it. But it may come as a pleasant surprise to anyone who’s familiar with the fact that midterm elections – those in which we elect members of Congress but not a President – usually draw less than half of eligible voters.

More people might vote in midterms if they appreciated what was at stake: while the President proposes his ideal budget every year, that proposal is just a suggestion. It’s Congress that actually passes the budget that becomes law. The lawmakers we elect in the midterm elections hold tremendous power, and will do so for years to come.

For more information about the issues at stake in this election, check out our Voter’s Guides and Competing Visions: Election Edition.

Here’s hoping that Americans take the power into their own hands and vote this Election Day. And tell us: will you vote this year?