What to learn about exit polls and the way they’ve modified in 2025

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Right here we’re with the chyron that Donald Trump is endorsing Andrew Cuomo. Democratic New York mayoral nominee Zoran Mamdani on election eve, highlighting President Donald Trump’s help for Mamdani’s important opponent, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. If folks need to vote for Donald Trump and Elon Musk, they need to vote for Andrew Cuomo. If folks need to vote for change, they need to vote for me. Cuomo, who’s working as an impartial after dropping to Mamdani within the main, hit his opponent on expertise. He is by no means had *** actual job. He was an assemblyman handed 3 payments, uh, worst attendance file within the legislature. It is all political rhetoric. Current polling has proven Mamdani main Cuomo with Republican Curtis Sliwa trailing each of them. Two different main contests Tuesday are the elections for governor in New Jersey and Virginia. I obtained information. New Jersey’s not *** purple state. New Jersey isn’t *** purple state. New Jersey is ***. In New Jersey, Democratic congresswoman and retired Navy helicopter pilot Mikey Sherrill is working in opposition to Republican Jack Chittarelli. This isn’t *** vainness tour for me. I do not need to be congressman, I do not need to be senator, I do not need to be president. I do not need to write *** e book. I simply need to write the ship. In the meantime, within the Virginia gubernatorial race, Democrat Abigail Spanberger is closely favored to win in her contest with Republican nominee Winsome Earl Sears. I plan on making certain that we do not simply win tomorrow. However that we crush it. I am Reed Vignon reporting.

What to learn about exit polls and the way they’ve modified for this yr’s elections

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Up to date: 8:53 AM EST Nov 4, 2025

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For many years, People have relied on exit polls to light up the story of what occurred on election night time. By gathering opinions from voters largely after they’ve solid their ballots, exit polls fill within the particulars that our secret-ballot elections in any other case go away unimaginable to know.This yr, for the primary time since 2016, CNN, ABC, CBS, Fox Information, NBC and the Related Press are working collectively to provide this essential analysis, in collaboration with SSRS, a nonpartisan analysis firm. On behalf of the six media organizations, SSRS will conduct The Voter Ballot in California, New Jersey, New York Metropolis and Virginia to cowl the marquee contests on this November’s slate. Historically, exit polling has leaned closely on in-person interviews of a randomly chosen pattern of voters at completely different Election Day polling areas. That is still a key a part of the polling this time round. However to incorporate individuals who vote early or vote by mail, these in-person interviews shall be mixed with survey outcomes gathered earlier than Election Day to make sure that exit polls mirror the views of the total voters, no matter once they vote or how they solid their poll.There are additionally changes to how the pattern is chosen to raised mirror the voters, to be extra assured that individuals included within the ballot are the truth is voters, and to make sure that the changes pollsters make on the again finish, often called weighting, end in a demographic profile that displays the individuals who really turned out.Right here’s what to learn about how this yr’s exit polls are performed:The surveys in California, New Jersey, New York Metropolis and Virginia are every anticipated to incorporate outcomes from greater than 4,000 voters, estimated based mostly on accomplished interviews within the pre-election portion mixed with expectations for Election Day interview counts.Voters can take the survey in a number of methods. These interviewed earlier than Election Day will take it on-line or by telephone, whereas these interviewed at their polling place fill out a paper questionnaire. Individuals will reply the identical questions on their traits and opinions whether or not they take the survey on-line, on the telephone or on paper.To make sure that everybody taking the ballot is an eligible voter, those that accomplish that pre-election are both chosen from or matched to a voter file, which is a commercially accessible listing of registered voters. Those that are interviewed in individual should not matched on this means however could have demonstrated eligibility by voting at their polling place.People who find themselves initially interviewed earlier than they solid their ballots shall be recontacted by the researchers on Election Day to verify whether or not they voted, how they solid their poll and for whom.As soon as outcomes are collected, researchers apply weights to align the outcomes to what we all know in regards to the full voters. For instance, changes are made for demographics akin to age, race, gender and schooling based mostly on what we learn about how voters who took the ballot differ from those that didn’t. Researchers additionally modify based mostly on their greatest estimates of turnout and on how many individuals are anticipated to vote by mail, in individual earlier than Election Day, or in individual on Election Day itself. Lastly, as soon as votes are counted, the surveys are weighted to match the ultimate vote outcomes to provide the absolute best image of who voted and what they suppose.A technical description of the methodology of the ballot could be discovered right here.

For many years, People have relied on exit polls to light up the story of what occurred on election night time. By gathering opinions from voters largely after they’ve solid their ballots, exit polls fill within the particulars that our secret-ballot elections in any other case go away unimaginable to know.

This yr, for the primary time since 2016, CNN, ABC, CBS, Fox Information, NBC and the Related Press are working collectively to provide this essential analysis, in collaboration with SSRS, a nonpartisan analysis firm. On behalf of the six media organizations, SSRS will conduct The Voter Ballot in California, New Jersey, New York Metropolis and Virginia to cowl the marquee contests on this November’s slate.

Historically, exit polling has leaned closely on in-person interviews of a randomly chosen pattern of voters at completely different Election Day polling areas. That is still a key a part of the polling this time round. However to incorporate individuals who vote early or vote by mail, these in-person interviews shall be mixed with survey outcomes gathered earlier than Election Day to make sure that exit polls mirror the views of the total voters, no matter once they vote or how they solid their poll.

There are additionally changes to how the pattern is chosen to raised mirror the voters, to be extra assured that individuals included within the ballot are the truth is voters, and to make sure that the changes pollsters make on the again finish, often called weighting, end in a demographic profile that displays the individuals who really turned out.

Right here’s what to learn about how this yr’s exit polls are performed:

  • The surveys in California, New Jersey, New York Metropolis and Virginia are every anticipated to incorporate outcomes from greater than 4,000 voters, estimated based mostly on accomplished interviews within the pre-election portion mixed with expectations for Election Day interview counts.
  • Voters can take the survey in a number of methods. These interviewed earlier than Election Day will take it on-line or by telephone, whereas these interviewed at their polling place fill out a paper questionnaire. Individuals will reply the identical questions on their traits and opinions whether or not they take the survey on-line, on the telephone or on paper.
  • To make sure that everybody taking the ballot is an eligible voter, those that accomplish that pre-election are both chosen from or matched to a voter file, which is a commercially accessible listing of registered voters. Those that are interviewed in individual should not matched on this means however could have demonstrated eligibility by voting at their polling place.
  • People who find themselves initially interviewed earlier than they solid their ballots shall be recontacted by the researchers on Election Day to verify whether or not they voted, how they solid their poll and for whom.
  • As soon as outcomes are collected, researchers apply weights to align the outcomes to what we all know in regards to the full voters. For instance, changes are made for demographics akin to age, race, gender and schooling based mostly on what we learn about how voters who took the ballot differ from those that didn’t. Researchers additionally modify based mostly on their greatest estimates of turnout and on how many individuals are anticipated to vote by mail, in individual earlier than Election Day, or in individual on Election Day itself. Lastly, as soon as votes are counted, the surveys are weighted to match the ultimate vote outcomes to provide the absolute best image of who voted and what they suppose.

A technical description of the methodology of the ballot could be discovered right here.

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