When Were Past Presidential Races Called?

Chartdata

You need 3 min read

·

Post on Nov 06, 2024

41 visitor like this post

Share

When Did We Know Who Won the Election? A Look at Past Presidential Races

You're glued to the TV on election night, nervously refreshing your phone for updates. The clock ticks past midnight, and you're still waiting for a winner to be declared. It's a familiar feeling – we've all been there. But just how long have we been waiting for these calls, and how has that changed over the years? Let's take a trip down memory lane and revisit some of the most recent presidential races and see how long it took for the networks to declare a winner.

The 2020 Election: A Long and Winding Road

The 2020 election is still fresh in our minds, and for good reason: it was one of the longest waits for a winner. The tension was palpable as key states like Pennsylvania and Arizona remained too close to call. It wasn't until Saturday, November 7th, that Joe Biden was finally projected to win the election, three days after the polls closed! This delay was due in part to a record-breaking number of mail-in ballots, which took longer to count.

2016: A Shocker and a Quick Call

In contrast, the 2016 election delivered a shocking result, but the call came in surprisingly fast. Networks projected Donald Trump as the winner in the early morning hours of November 9th, just a few hours after polls closed. This was partly due to a fairly clear pattern of wins in key states, even though the popular vote went to Hillary Clinton.

2012: A Relatively Smooth Sail

The 2012 election felt a lot more straightforward. President Barack Obama was projected to win re-election just after 11 PM on election night, with key states like Ohio and Virginia calling early in the evening. This was a much faster turnaround than 2020, but it also reflected the relatively clear pattern of results in the race.

The Evolution of Election Night: From Calls to Projections

It's important to note that the way election results are declared has changed over the years. Back in the day, calls were made based on exit polls, which surveyed voters as they left the polling places. Today, however, calls are made based on projections, which use a combination of exit polls, precinct results, and historical data. This reliance on more complex data and the rise of mail-in voting has led to a longer wait for results, which can be frustrating but also indicates a more reliable and accurate system.

What Can We Expect in the Future?

As our voting system evolves, it's likely that we'll see even more variations in the time it takes to declare a winner. The rise of early voting and increased reliance on mail-in ballots will likely continue to push the call later into the night, and potentially even into the following days. But even with this change, the one thing that remains constant is the thrill, the uncertainty, and the intense anticipation that comes with every election night. So, whether it's a quick call or a long and drawn-out wait, one thing's for sure: election night is a time for all of us to engage with our democracy, and it's an experience that we'll continue to follow closely for years to come.