EXPLAINER: How the AP counts the vote on election night

By MEG KINNARD and ALMAZ ABEDJE
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Associated Press is the only news organization that does all of the nation’s vote-counting math on election night. AP Election Decision Editor Stephen Ohlemacher calls elections “the single largest act of journalism that happens every two years.” But AP’s full-time elections researchers work year-round gathering information on different states’ voting procedures and varying rules. AP has an unparalleled footprint for election-related coverage with journalists in all 50 states. About 4,000 temporary AP freelancers gather local vote totals and feed them to AP’s vote entry clerks. Race callers will eventually declare winners in thousands of races.