Decision desk

For the election website, see Decision Desk HQ.

A decision desk is a team of experts that one or many US news organizations assemble to analyze incoming data about election results and project winners on election day.[1][2][3][4] Decision desks use exit polling data as well as officially reported results as they come in, to project and then "call" the winners of elections on election night.[5][6] "Projected winners" are only unofficial; depending on state or local laws, election officials may still have days or weeks after election day to complete counting votes and certifying winners.[6]

  1. ^ Gough, Paul J. (6 November 2006). "Political pressure mounts on decision desks". Associated Press via The Hollywood Reporter.
  2. ^ Rutenberg, Jim (3 November 2004). "An Early Night for Viewers Becomes a Cliffhanger". The New York Times.
  3. ^ Feinberg, Stephen E. (2014). "Chapter 13: Statistics in Service to the Nation". In Lin, Xihong; Genest, Christian; Banks, David L.; Molenberghs, Geert; Scott, David W.; Wang, Jane-Ling (eds.). Past, Present, and Future of Statistical Science. CRC Press. ISBN 9781482204988.
  4. ^ Westin, David (2012). Exit Interview. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 9781466815568.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference ShepardExit was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b "How does CNN make election projections?". CNN. October 13, 2008. Archived from the original on April 21, 2009.