Extraordinary effort powers AP’s mission to count, declare and report on U.S. midterm elections

Elections coverage is a hallmark of Associated Press journalism, and this year was no exception, with staff across the newsroom rising to the occasion and ensuring AP distinguished itself at a historic moment.

AP provided swift, accurate and insightful coverage of midterm contests, capturing the full scope of voters’ rebuke of President Donald Trump and the Republican Party and working tirelessly throughout the week to parse the results and their meaning.

In addition to the exceptional nonpartisan journalism, AP delivered on its mission to count the vote and declare winners in thousands of races with impeccable accuracy, cementing its essential role in U.S. elections.

Millions of people tuned in to watch AP’s hosted election night livestream and, based on available data, AP’s live show ranked third in live views among major news media outlets. APNews.com saw its highest traffic since the 2024 presidential election, with more than 23 million page views, a sixfold increase over election night in 2022, demonstrating that audiences were engaging strongly with both the highly dynamic live blog and comprehensive elections hub.

The coverage also drove AP’s highest day of reader donations in 2026, underscoring the public’s appetite for AP’s nonpartisan, fact-based reporting around one of the biggest, most consequential stories of the year.

Above all, AP reinforced its position as the undisputed source of truth in the U.S. elections ecosystem, providing results to thousands of customers, including all major U.S. broadcast networks and leading technology companies such as Google and OpenAI. AP grew elections revenue by more than 80% compared with the 2022 midterms, including a 400% increase in revenue from technology companies.

This tremendous success was made possible by the dedication and expertise of AP staff in every corner of the organization, including News, Technology and Revenue. Excellence was the hallmark of every facet of the coverage, from the coordination of the vote count and race calls and the fast, insightful reporting to the creation of the digital presentation, custom-made graphics and detailed audience engagement plans.

The judges noted the extraordinary achievements in planning and execution across the board, highlighting AP’s excellence in collaboration, rapid response and digital innovation. This Special Citation honors the entire AP elections operation.

For once again fulfilling our unique role in American democracy with care, commitment and determination, all AP staff involved in the U.S. midterms are honored with a Best of the AP — Special Citation.