Understanding the election
AP's essential role in elections
AP, the most trusted source of information on election night with a history of accuracy dating to 1848, will offer that expertise to its member news organizations, customers and the public across all platforms when it counts the vote, declares the winners and covers the results in the U.S. presidential election.
Follow the latest developments with our complete elections coverage on apnews.com.
Counting votes
AP has been counting the vote for over 170 years and has experience tabulating elections that aren’t decided on Election Day.
Calling races
AP will count the vote and declare winners in some 7,000 races this November, so the world knows as soon as possible who wins not only the White House, but control of Congress and every state legislature.
Explaining the electorate
AP VoteCast, the wide-ranging survey of the American electorate, uses the ideal methodology to conduct accurate research about the electorate during a pandemic.
The Associated Press
Research and reporting

AP VoteCast
AP VoteCast debuted in 2018 as an alternative to the traditional exit poll, and in many ways it uses the ideal methodology to conduct accurate research about the electorate during a pandemic. We meet voters where they are by conducting AP VoteCast by mail, phone and online, using an approach designed for how America votes today and how it will increasingly vote in the future: early, absentee and by mail.

Election research
AP has for years employed a full-time elections research team that works year-round to ensure our vote count team, our decision desk and newsroom – and therefore our member news organizations and customers – know as much as possible about what to expect once Election Day arrives. This year, with so many changes taking place due to the pandemic, that research is more important to our work than ever before.
Election coverage
Why this election is different
The coronavirus pandemic means more Americans than ever before will cast their ballots ahead of Election Day. This may affect when we will know who won the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
Learn moreFrom The Definitive Source
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