Civics Questions With Changing Answers and How to Stay Current

Updated: October 30, 2026

A handful of civics test questions don't have fixed answers. They ask who holds an office now, or who represents you. You must answer with the person serving on the day of your interview, not the day you filed or the day you started studying. As of October 2026, the national answers are Donald Trump (President), JD Vance (Vice President), Mike Johnson (Speaker of the House) and John Roberts (Chief Justice). Always confirm on the USCIS test updates page at uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates before you go.

The questions with changing answers

On the 2025 civics test (N-400 filed on or after October 20, 2025):

Who is one of your state's U.S. senators now?
Name your U.S. representative.
What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?
What is the name of the President of the United States now?
What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?
Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?
Who is the governor of your state now?
What is the capital of your state? This answer doesn't change with elections, but it depends on where you live.

On the 2008 civics test (N-400 filed before October 20, 2025), the same kinds of questions appear, plus "What is the political party of the President now?" (Republican, as of October 2026) and "How many justices are on the Supreme Court?" (nine).

Current national answers (as of October 2026)

These come from the USCIS test updates page. Check it again close to your interview.

President: Donald J. Trump (also accepted: Donald Trump, Trump)
Vice President: JD Vance (also accepted: Vance)
Speaker of the House: Mike Johnson (also accepted: Johnson, or his birth name James Michael Johnson)
Chief Justice: John Roberts (also accepted: John G. Roberts, Jr., Roberts)

The Speaker question is marked with an asterisk on the 2025 list, as are the President, Vice President and governor questions. That means they can also appear on the simplified test for applicants who qualify under the 65/20 rule.

Why the 2026 elections matter

General elections take place on November 3, 2026. They can change several answers:

The whole House of Representatives is up for election. Your representative may change when the new Congress is sworn in, in early January 2027.
The Speaker of the House is elected by the House when the new Congress starts. It may be the same person or someone new, depending on the results.
About one-third of the Senate is up for election. If your state has a Senate race, one of your senators might change in January 2027.
Many states elect a governor in 2026. New governors usually take office in January, though the date depends on the state.

What this means for you: if your interview is in late 2026, answer with the people still serving on that day, even if someone else has won an election and hasn't taken office yet. If your interview is in 2027, check the updated answers after the new officials are sworn in. People can also leave office early through resignation, death or appointment, so check again shortly before your interview no matter when it is.

How to find your local answers

Your senators. Every state has two. You only need to name one. The official Senate site, senate.gov, lets you find senators by state.

Your representative. This depends on your congressional district, which is based on your home address. Enter your ZIP code or address at house.gov. Districts can be redrawn, so look it up for your current address.

Your governor and state capital. Your state government's official website lists the current governor. The capital stays the same.

Our guide to finding your senators and representative walks you through each lookup.

Special answers for D.C. and the territories

District of Columbia residents: for the senator question, answer that D.C. has no U.S. senators. For the governor question, D.C. has no governor. For the state capital question, say that D.C. is not a state and has no capital.
Residents of U.S. territories: for the senator question, answer that your territory has no U.S. senators. For the representative question, you can name your territory's nonvoting Delegate or Resident Commissioner, or say the territory has no voting representative in Congress. For the capital question, name your territory's capital.

A simple routine to stay current

When you file: write down your senators, representative, governor and state capital.
Every month while you wait: check the USCIS test updates page.
After any election: check again once new officials take office.
One week before your interview: confirm all the answers one last time.
On interview day: if you're unsure about a recent change, it's fine to say the name you believe is current. The officer judges based on who is serving that day.

If you're still building your study routine, see how to pass the civics test. Study apps and printed lists can be out of date. When an app and the USCIS page disagree, trust USCIS. Civio updates these answers when officials change, but the official source has the final word.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to name both of my senators?

No. The question asks for one of your state's U.S. senators. Naming one correctly is enough.

What if the President changes between my filing and my interview?

Answer with the person serving on the day of your interview. USCIS updates the accepted answers when officials change.

What if I moved after filing?

Give the senators, representative and governor for the place where you live at the time of the interview. If you moved to another state, learn the new state's officials and capital.

Is "Republican" still an answer on the 2025 test?

The question about the President's political party is on the 2008 list. It isn't one of the changing-answer questions USCIS lists for the 2025 test.

Prepare for the civics test with Civio: every official question from the 2025 USCIS civics test, Exam Mode with your state's questions, and spaced repetition.

Informational article, not legal advice. Civio is not affiliated with USCIS or any government agency; always check current requirements at uscis.gov.