AP's Trusted Process for Calling Election Results

The Associated Press has refined its election race-calling techniques over 170 years to ensure accurate and timely results.

The AP will call nearly 5,000 contested races during the 2024 elections, relying on a comprehensive analysis of vote tallies and other election data.
AP VoteCast, a 50-state survey, provides insights into voter behavior and aids in calling less competitive races soon after polls close.
The AP's race-calling process is grounded in facts, using historical voting trends, demographic data, and current vote patterns to determine outcomes.
Changes in voting methods, such as increased mail-in voting, add complexity to the process, requiring careful estimation of remaining votes.
The AP maintains high standards for accuracy, only declaring a winner when confident the trailing candidate cannot catch up.