NPR relies on the Associated Press to evaluate 435 House races, 35 Senate races, 36 gubernatorial contests, ballot measures, and thousands of state legislative seats. Decision analysts study county-by-county vote counts, voting methods, and community demographics to determine if a trailing candidate can mathematically close the gap. This strict standard allows races to be called before all ballots are tallied without relying on apparent winners or candidate concessions. Verified results are then promptly broadcast to audiences and distributed to hundreds of member stations.
Key points
Neither NPR nor the Associated Press makes speculative calls or relies on candidate victo…: Neither NPR nor the Associated Press makes speculative calls or relies on candidate victory declarations to decide outcomes.
Races can be called prior to a complete ballot count if mathematical certainty establishe…: Races can be called prior to a complete ballot count if mathematical certainty establishes an insurmountable lead.
The reporting process strictly prioritizes mathematical certainty and accuracy over the s…: The reporting process strictly prioritizes mathematical certainty and accuracy over the speed of calling a race.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
How NPR makes race calls in the 2026 election
Voters are voting, ballots are being counted and results are starting to come in for 435 House races, 35 Senate races and 36 gubernatorial contests as well as ballot measures and thousands of state legislative seats. But how will NPR call races on election night? Determining a winner in any of the many races across the country is a big job. That's why NPR partners with the Associated Press — and has for many years — to ensure that races are called accurately.
The Associated Press has been calling races since 1848 and even now, nearly 180 years later, the process for making those calls is pretty simple. Here's how the AP explains its race calling process:
Race callers collaborate with analysts who focus on statewide races, such as those for U.S. Senate and governor, and elections for the U.S. House of Representatives. The decision editors on AP's Decision Team sign off on every race call for president, U.S. Senate and governor, as well as races of significance for U.S. House.
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