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AP's Role in U.S. Elections: Counting Votes and Calling Winners

The Associated Press fills a crucial gap in the electoral process by independently tallying votes and declaring race outcomes.

FILE – Staffers work on election night at the Washington bureau of The Associated Press on Nov. 3, 1964. (AP Photo, File)
FILE – An election worker boxes tabulated ballots inside the Maricopa County Recorders Office, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York, File)
FILE – Media organizations set up outside the White House, Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
A woman receives an I Voted sticker after casting her ballot on the second day of early voting in the 2024 presidential election at the Board of Elections Loop Super Site in Chicago, Illinois, on October 4 2024. (Photo by KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Overview

  • The Associated Press has been independently counting votes in U.S. elections since 1848, providing timely updates before official results are certified.
  • AP's efforts help standardize and collate election data from thousands of local jurisdictions, which often lack consistent reporting methods.
  • The organization deploys approximately 4,000 vote count reporters across the country to gather and verify election results directly from local sources.
  • AP's independent vote count and race calls are crucial due to the absence of a national body responsible for providing real-time election updates.
  • Multiple data sources and rigorous quality control measures ensure accuracy in AP's reported election results, even correcting errors when necessary.