As Election Day closes, news outlets collect data about ballots from polling locations and update their vote reporting systems. This process informs a media outlet’s prediction of a winner (often referred to as a call). News outlets can be tracking progress towards a call for hours, days, and even weeks until election workers finish counting all ballots and official results are certified.
The process of counting ballots can be complicated and is only finished once officials certify official results. It takes multiple steps, including verifying the count and checking whether a race is headed for a recount. The figure below shows the typical procedures that state election officials complete before a race is called and final, official results are known.
A key feature of our election results is that they show the percentage of votes a candidate received. This allows readers to better understand the relative strength of candidates and parties. It also helps voters consider how their individual choices affect the overall electoral picture.
The 2024 elections reflected profound divisions in the United States about immigration, national identity, economics and social change. These deep-rooted differences influenced many voters’ decisions to support or oppose a wide range of policies and highlighted a willingness among Americans to embrace political rhetoric promising transformative change, regardless of how it challenges established constitutional law and democratic norms. We offer a broad selection of policy analysis and research to help voters make sense of the complexity of these issues.