Months of preparation and years of expertise lead up to AP’s coverage of Election Day. When it came time to call the races this year, we scored a 99.9 percent.
A nationwide network of vote counters, journalists in every state and statehouse, and expert election analysts and political reporters make AP the definitive source for election results. We have been counting the vote and declaring the winner in the U.S. presidential elections since 1848, and are the sole provider of comprehensive, independent vote counts to the media–from the White House to Senate, House to gubernatorial races and state legislatures to ballot initiatives.
Obama 51%
62,615,406 votes
Romney 48%
59,142,004 votes
In all, 4,653 races were counted on Election Day in 2012, each through a detailed process of vote counters, Vote Entry Centers and a system of rigorous checks. Brian Scanlon, AP’s director of Elections and Financial Products, takes us through the process, step by step.
Months of preparation and years of expertise lead up to AP’s coverage of Election Day. When it came time to call the races this year, we scored a 99.9 percent.
99.9%
AP director of race calls David Pace and his team of
37 callers
11 election analysts
4,653 races
on election night and the next day, with a remarkable accuracy rate of 99.9 percent
A nationwide network of vote counters, journalists in every state and statehouse and expert election analysts and political reporters makes AP the definitive source for election results. We have been counting the vote and declaring the winner in the U.S. presidential elections since 1848, and we’re the sole provider of comprehensive, independent vote counts to the media–from the White House to senate, house to gubernatorial races and state legislatures to ballot initiatives.
Obama 51%
62,615,406 votes
Romney 48%
59,142,004 votes
In all, 4,653 races were counted on Election Dayin 2012, eachthrough an intricate and unequalled process of vote counters, Vote Entry Centers and a system of rigorous checks.
At AP’s Washington bureau, and in bureaus throughout the country, a team of race callers and analysts headed by Director of Race Calls David Pace puts their political expertise and deep understanding of local politics and voting history to work to call the races. In 2012, they scored a 99.9 percent accuracy rate. Washington Bureau Chief Sally Buzbee explains how.
