AP VOTE COUNT

– The Associated Press has tabulated the

vote in every US election since 1852

– On Nov. 6, the AP will tabulate the vote _

& declare a winner _ in more than 5,000
races

– 4,000 stringers at county vote count

centers across the country

– Live electronic feeds from many counties &

secretaries of state

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ANALYZING THE VOTE
– 800 workers entering results
– Quality control team comparing
results from multiple sources as
well as past races
– A team of 60 analysts will declare
the winners, including two teams
of analysts in Washington & race
callers around the country

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ELECTION NIGHT
– East to west – watch the
battlegrounds
– Indiana at 7 p.m. EDT, West
Virgina at 7:30 p.m., Florida,
Missouri & New Jersey at 8
p.m.
– If the Democrats lose any of
these seats, their chances of
taking the Senate are greatly
diminished
– If they win all of these seats,
is it the start of a wave?
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ELECTION NIGHT
– Tennessee at 8 p.m. EDT,
Arizona at 9, Nevada at
10
– These are the most
vulnerable Republican
seats. If Republicans hold
all three, they keep the
Senate
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THE DAY(S) AFTER
– Many states count a significant
number of votes after Election Day
– absentee & provisional ballots
– The AP will be unable to call some
close races on election night
because of votes counted after
Election Day
– Control of Senate or House could
still be in doubt on Wednesday

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BEYOND ELECTION DAY
States with significant votes
counted after Election Day:
─ Washington State: 40 percent
─ California: 30 percent
─ Arizona: 25 percent
─ Alaska: 21 percent
─ Colorado: 14 percent
─ New York: 10 percent

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VOTE CHASE
– AP’s Vote Count team will continue
to chase outstanding votes in days &
weeks after election
– AP’s Decision Desk will continue to
declare winners in the days & weeks
after Election Day
– If control of House or senate is still
in doubt, AP will focus resources on
those uncalled races

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ACCESS & EXPERTISE
– 2004: AP tracks down number of provisional ballots in every
county in Ohio, declares Bush winner of Ohio & the
presidency
– 2006: AP tracks down uncounted votes in every jurisdiction
in Virginia Senate election, declares Jim Webb winner.
Democrats take control of Senate
– 2016: AP tracks down number of uncounted absentee
ballots in Milwaukee City & Milwaukee County, declares
Donald Trump winner of Wisconsin & the presidency
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Q&A
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