When Did They Call It? A Look Back at Past Presidential Election Results
It's Election Night, and everyone's glued to the TV, waiting for the big announcement: "We're projecting..." But how long do we usually wait? When were past presidential elections called?
Let's take a trip down memory lane and look at some of the most recent presidential elections and when the results were officially declared. Keep in mind, these calls are based on exit polls, early voting data, and projections, which aren't always perfect, but they give us a pretty good idea of who's winning.
2020: Biden Wins, But It Took a While
The 2020 election was a nail-biter, and it took a couple of days before the results were official. The networks started calling Arizona for Biden on the night of the election, but the race for the White House was still too close to call in many states. It wasn't until Saturday, November 7th, that the networks finally declared Joe Biden the winner of the election.
2016: A Shocking Night
Remember 2016? Yeah, that was a wild one. Most polls had Hillary Clinton ahead, but Donald Trump pulled off a major upset. The networks called the election for Trump on the night of the election, Tuesday, November 8th. It was a shock to many, and the results were still being debated for weeks afterward.
2012: Obama Wins Re-Election
Barack Obama's re-election was a little more straightforward. The networks called the election for Obama on the night of the election, Tuesday, November 6th. It wasn't a total landslide, but Obama ultimately took the win.
2008: Obama's First Victory
Obama's first presidential victory was a big one, and it was called relatively early. The networks called the election for Obama on the night of the election, Tuesday, November 4th. This was a historic election, marking the first time an African-American had been elected President of the United States.
2004: Bush Wins Second Term
The 2004 election was another close one, but ultimately went to George W. Bush. The networks called the election for Bush on the night of the election, Tuesday, November 2nd. The race was incredibly tight in several key states, so the results weren't immediately clear.
Looking Forward
So, when will we know the results of the next election? It's tough to say for sure. But based on past results, we can expect the networks to start making calls on election night, but it might take a day or two for the official results to come in.
Just remember, the election is a marathon, not a sprint. So grab some popcorn, settle in, and be patient. We'll all know the winner eventually.
And who knows? Maybe the next election will be called even faster than the 2008 election.