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How NBC News Calls the Midterm Races on Election Night

NBC News will not project a winner in a race until after the last scheduled poll closing time in that race

NBC News is a member of the National Election Pool, a consortium formed by NBC, ABC, CBS and CNN. The NEP consortium, along with Edison Research, conducts exit and absentee polls, provides precinct votes in selected sample precincts and runs models for the analysis of the election information. The NEP also delivers statewide vote counts, as well as county by county results, for general elections and district votes in House races. 

NBC News election unit analysts will first examine exit polls, any absentee polls and statistical estimates based upon this data in a given race to determine if the race can be called. As election night goes on, analysts also examine vote results from selected sample precincts, county-by-county model results, the actual raw votes (both statewide and county by county) and additional statistical information. In order to make a race call, all senior election unit analysts must agree, the NBC News director of elections must agree and the senior news division management representative must agree. If everyone agrees, a call is made. 

NBC News will not project a winner in a race until after the last scheduled poll closing time in that race. If the race appears to be close in any state, an abundance of caution will be used before calling a race in that state. 

Click here for more information on how NBC News calls the races.

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