Showing vote tallies live

[Tigers!]

I am curious as to how you Yanks show live tallies on votes and the impact that might have on voting patterns or intentions.
In Australia we can have a 3 hour time difference between when the polls close on the easy coast (Qld, NSW, Vic, Tas - for those who wish to improve their geography) and the west coast (WA).
The AEC (Australian Electoral Commission) does not release any tallies until the close of the polls in WA to avoid causing any potential change in voting intentions.

With the breadth of the US i.e. east coast to Hawaii/Alaska does the process same occur?

Also why do you have each state with potentially its own rules/procedures rather than a nation-wide system?

 

[Nice Squirrel]

Also why do you have each state with potentially its own rules/procedures rather than a nation-wide system?

Some assholes in 1789 stated:

The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of choosing Senators.

 

[Sarpedon]

Because constitutionally, our states are autonomous, and manage their own affairs unless there is a a compelling reason for federal intervention.

While I believe there is a compelling reason for the federal government to oversee local voting, it has to shake out in the courts and legislatures.

 

[blastula]

The Bush v. Gore decision was based on the equal protection clause, that the counting standard wasn't uniform. That's still a problem today. We suck.

 

[dismal]

Because constitutionally, our states are autonomous, and manage their own affairs unless there is a a compelling reason for federal intervention.

While I believe there is a compelling reason for the federal government to oversee local voting, it has to shake out in the courts and legislatures.

I believe the convention is the networks do not call a state before the polls close in that state. This means they can and do call states on the east coast while the polls are still open in Western states. They can even call the race. I think they did one year while I was living in California. May have been Clinton-Dole.

But my point is, I think it's a decision of the TV networks when to call something, not something in the Constitution. The could choose to sit on the data they have until X, Y or Z. I'm not sure the government can pass a law prohiiting them from calling races until X, or Y or Z because of press freedoms.

I seem to recall there was a trend to calling states early to scoop other networks that resulted in Florida getting called for Gore based on exit polls that resulted in the somewhat more careful protocols they have now. But you will still notice the networks vary to some degree as to how quickly they call a state.

 

[skepticalbip]

Because constitutionally, our states are autonomous, and manage their own affairs unless there is a a compelling reason for federal intervention.

While I believe there is a compelling reason for the federal government to oversee local voting, it has to shake out in the courts and legislatures.

I believe the convention is the networks do not call a state before the polls close in that state. This means they can and do call states on the east coast while the polls are still open in Western states. They can even call the race. I think they did one year while I was living in California. May have been Clinton-Dole.

But my point is, I think it's a decision of the TV networks when to call something, not something in the Constitution. The could choose to sit on the data they have until X, Y or Z. I'm not sure the government can pass a law prohiiting them from calling races until X, or Y or Z because of press freedoms.

I seem to recall there was a trend to calling states early to scoop other networks that resulted in Florida getting called for Gore based on exit polls that resulted in the somewhat more careful protocols they have now. But you will still notice the networks vary to some degree as to how quickly they call a state.

I could be wrong but I thought that the early "calls" by the media for individual States (not called until the State's polls close) is based on exit polling, not actual vote count. That the actual vote count calls are not made until all States' polls had closed.

 

[dismal]

I believe the convention is the networks do not call a state before the polls close in that state. This means they can and do call states on the east coast while the polls are still open in Western states. They can even call the race. I think they did one year while I was living in California. May have been Clinton-Dole.

But my point is, I think it's a decision of the TV networks when to call something, not something in the Constitution. The could choose to sit on the data they have until X, Y or Z. I'm not sure the government can pass a law prohiiting them from calling races until X, or Y or Z because of press freedoms.

I seem to recall there was a trend to calling states early to scoop other networks that resulted in Florida getting called for Gore based on exit polls that resulted in the somewhat more careful protocols they have now. But you will still notice the networks vary to some degree as to how quickly they call a state.

I could be wrong but I thought that the early "calls" by the media for individual States (not called until the State's polls close) is based on exit polling, not actual vote count. That the actual vote count calls are not made until all States' polls had closed.

They call states based on exit polls (surveys) but not until polls (voting) close. They will call a state like California a minute after the polls closed based on polling (polling as in surveying). They used to call states before polls closed. They called California in 2000 before polls (as in voting) close in the panhandle. There were reports of people walking off the voting lines when Florida was called for Gore.