What I dont understand is

[INforRP]

How do they call the race when 9% of the votes are in? Are all communities that homogeneous? CNN called Romney the winner with 9% of the votes in.

[icon124]

yea i will never understand that either...all i can say is voter fraud

[Trigonx]

we are talking about AMERICAN people, so yes.

[Eponym_mi]

statistical models

[Redcard]

Its statistics, polling, and getting good trending lines.

Most polls you see out there are done on even LESS data.

[liberty_Forever]

the media is so full of shit...

"statistical models" is how Moody's and Fitch's turned subprime mortgage trash into AAA rated paper treasure.

[N13]

exit poll statistics.

The early results confirm what they have and when you get to a certain point, you know within the required standard devitations who is going to win.

Check it out, how often are they wrong when they call the winner?

[ronpaulyourmom]

The results are combined with the exit polls they conduct, they match trends, demographics, and all that jazz, and then can make calls that are honestly quite accurate.

[RSLudlum]

so...they could really get tripped up if a majority of one candidates voters came in late in the polls?

[Redcard]

so...they could really get tripped up if a majority of one candidates voters came in late in the polls?

They can, but they typically don't call a race until they have enough of a "feel" for the disprate types of communities in the polling area.

[pathis]

I find it very odd that the percentages stay about the same starting at around 3% reporting as they do all the way up to 100%. All 3 primaries have been like this. I guess maybe I just havent watched enough elections and this is a norm?

but, from what Ive seen. once you see the breakdown at around 3% you already know the outcome.