WASHINGTON – The day is finally here. It's Election Day!

Whether you're a Republican, Democrat, Independent or somewhere in between, we've got you covered all week.

Here's a list of what you should know, whether you'll be heading to the polls, wondering why this year's midterms matter or seeking results Tuesday night and beyond.

What's at stake

Before anything, it's important to know why your vote matters.

This year's midterm elections won't just decide who takes control of the House or Senate. The midterms are seen in large part as a referendum of President Donald Trump, whose two years as president have been tainted with controversy and scandal.

Members of the House of Representatives are elected to two-year terms, meaning all 435 seats are to be decided. The Senate is a different story, where lawmakers are elected for six-year terms; about a third stand for re-election every two years.

More:USA TODAY/Suffolk Poll: The midterms are all about Trump, and Democrats have the edge in the stretch

Related:Exclusive: Donald Trump, buoyed by the campaign, looks ahead to a post-midterm presidency

Energetic Democrats are hoping to gain at least some control in Congress and many believe they have a good chance of taking over the House. Polls suggest it's likely that Republicans retain their majority in the Senate.

If Democrats take control of the House or Senate, they would have subpoena and investigative powers. Democrats would head committees throughout Congress and have the authority to look into many of the controversial issues they've railed against since Trump took office, including the president's tax returns.

IDs, voter registration and other tidbits

Before you head to the polls, there are a few things you should research beforehand.

You should also make sure to do your homework on the candidates and the issues on the ballot. BallotReady has sample ballots races nationwide so you can see what it will look like and research the issues and candidates.

Here's where we'll be posting all of our elections coverage and monitoring races across the country. USA TODAY also has an in-depth outlook on candidates for Congress and governor races across the nation.

Another key thing to know is what sort of identification you need to cast a ballot. Thirty-four states have laws requiring a person show some manner of identification before voting. Seven of those, Tennessee, Kansas, Wisconsin, Mississippi, Georgia, Virginia and Indiana, require a photo ID.

If you aren't sure whether your state requires any sort of identification, you can check here.

Before heading to the polls, it's also a good idea to verify your voter registration. Many states clean up their voter rolls to purge inactive voters or those who have moved out of state.

To make sure you're still registered, you can go to Vote.org.

Also, be careful when thinking about taking a selfie of you and that ballot. It's illegal to take a photo in an election booth in a number of states, including New York and Illinois.

More:Want to take 'ballot selfie'? Here's where it's legal, and not

The Associated Press examined the laws in all 50 states during the 2016 election cycle and found the practice was illegal in more than 15 states.

Where to vote and when do polls close

Where and when you cast your ballot depends where you live.

Most polling places open anywhere from 6 to 8 a.m. and close from 6 to 9 p.m. local time. These schedules vary by state but can also differ by county or city.

Elections are run differently in each state, but every state has its own website where you should be able to find your polling place, along with when it opens and closes.

Polling Place Locator - Vote.org

An easy way to check is by going to Vote.org. Just plug in your address and the site will show you the location of your polling place and the times it's open. The website also lists each state's voting website.

Google also offers a service for helping to find your polling place.

Where to find results

Results could come fast or take hours, days or weeks. Each polling station sends in its results to a county administrator. From there, the results go to the state agency charged with verifying results, in many states, it's the Secretary of State.

If you don't want to find your state agency and look for results there, local news organizations will be monitoring the races in your communities.

Shameless plug: You can also check usatoday.com/elections for election results. We have a team of reporters watching races nationwide and helping you understand the results.