# Are FoxNews or CNN running exit poll numbers on TV? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 2, 2004, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-foxnews-or-cnn-running-exit-poll-numbers-on-tv/272584 "2004-11-02T18:37:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-foxnews-or-cnn-running-exit-poll-numbers-on-tv/272584/1 "2004-11-02T18:37:26Z")
Anyone have an answer? My mom just called me to tell me she’d heard that Bush was up 2% in exit polls but couldn’t tell me which channel (FoxNews or CNN she mentioned by name). I can’t find such numbers on either website (though I’ve only looked in a cursory manner). But generally running those numbers prior to close of polling is frowned upon these days? Anyone with television access clue me in? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-foxnews-or-cnn-running-exit-poll-numbers-on-tv/272584/2 "2004-11-02T18:45:42Z")
CNN is not as far as I can tell. Its always on here at work but the sound is down(thank god). They are running a countdown clock of when the first polls close. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-foxnews-or-cnn-running-exit-poll-numbers-on-tv/272584/3 "2004-11-02T19:14:00Z")
IIRC, after the 2000 mess, there was a mutual agreement not to run any numbers until the polls had closed in that time zone. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-foxnews-or-cnn-running-exit-poll-numbers-on-tv/272584/4 "2004-11-02T19:24:32Z")
[Drudge](http://www.drudgereport.com/) > [@](#): > > KERRY CAMPAIGN FINDS COMFORT IN FIRST BATCH OF EXIT POLLS > > ``` > National Election Pool -- representing six major news organization -- shows Kerry in striking distance -- with small lead -- in Florida and Ohio.. MORE... > > ``` ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-foxnews-or-cnn-running-exit-poll-numbers-on-tv/272584/5 "2004-11-02T19:30:39Z")
> [@NinjaChick](#): > > IIRC, after the 2000 mess, there was a mutual agreement not to run any numbers until the polls had closed in that time zone. What’s the westernmost state that is considered “in play”? New Mexico? What time do the polls close there? And what time zone are they in? ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-foxnews-or-cnn-running-exit-poll-numbers-on-tv/272584/6 "2004-11-02T19:33:08Z")
Can anyone find the actual link to the alleged “MORE…” of that Drudge article? That site hurts me. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-foxnews-or-cnn-running-exit-poll-numbers-on-tv/272584/7 "2004-11-02T19:34:40Z")
Sure, but that’s **Drudge**. And anyway, my Mom wouldn’t be checking out Drudge. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-foxnews-or-cnn-running-exit-poll-numbers-on-tv/272584/8 "2004-11-02T19:36:53Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > What’s the westernmost state that is considered “in play”? New Mexico? What time do the polls close there? And what time zone are they in? Amazingly, Hawaii. Yes, Hawaii, one of the most reliable Democratic states, this year is actually considered a possible for the Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-foxnews-or-cnn-running-exit-poll-numbers-on-tv/272584/9 "2004-11-02T19:40:35Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > What’s the westernmost state that is considered “in play”? New Mexico? What time do the polls close there? And what time zone are they in? Mostly likely New Mexico, though Nevada and Colorado are other possibilites, especially with Colorado’s proposed Amendment 36. Unless it’s a really tight race, Hawaii is not likely to matter. New Mexico and Colorado are both in the mountain zone. Nevada’s in the Pacific. New Mexico and Colorado close at 7 PM MST, Nevada at 7 PM PST. Once again, [the BBC](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3760822.stm) is your friend. Just do the math into and out of GMT. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-foxnews-or-cnn-running-exit-poll-numbers-on-tv/272584/10 "2004-11-02T19:47:04Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > Amazingly, Hawaii. Yes, Hawaii, one of the most reliable Democratic states, this year is actually considered a possible for the Republicans. :smack: I _knew_ that yesterday! What time is it NYC when the polls close on Oahu? Just wondering if early results might tilt the balance there? Any Hawai’i based Dopers? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-foxnews-or-cnn-running-exit-poll-numbers-on-tv/272584/11 "2004-11-02T19:51:00Z")
Drudge is link to a pool of exit polls at [[exit-poll.net/pool](http://exit-poll.net/pool)] but that site seems to be overloaded at the moment. Here are some numbers from [url=http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/11/2/14333/4849]dailykos]([http://www.exit-poll.net/pool.html](http://www.exit-poll.net/pool.html)) which have Kerry up by 3 in Fla and 6 in Ohio as well as having significant leads in Minnesota (by 18) and Wisconsin (by 9). It’s early in the day, so grain of salt and all that… ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-foxnews-or-cnn-running-exit-poll-numbers-on-tv/272584/12 "2004-11-02T20:00:31Z")
The progression is (without gaps, even): Eastern, Central, Mountain, Pacific, Alaska, Hawaii. So if it’s 7 PM Eastern time, it’s 6 in Central time states, 5 in Mountain time states, 4 in Pacific states, 3 in Alaska, and only 2 PM in Hawaii. Five hours later it gets to be 7 PM in Hawaii, making it midnight in NY. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-foxnews-or-cnn-running-exit-poll-numbers-on-tv/272584/13 "2004-11-02T21:06:47Z")
[Go here for poll closing times.](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A16661-2004Nov1.html) (All times EST) Indiana and Kentucky close at 6pm; NH, VT, VA, SC, GA, and almost all of FL close at 7pm (a couple of Panhandle counties are on central time, and close at 8pm); NC, WV, and OH close at 7:30pm (and those states should give us a very good idea of what the night will look like). Then big groups of states close at 8 and 9; after 9pm, the only ‘battleground states’ left will be Nevada and Iowa, which close at 10. By 11, everything will be closed except Alaska, which closes at 1am EST. Now, those (notoriously unreliable) [early exit polls](http://atrios.blogspot.com/2004/11/exit-polls_02.html): ------ AZ CO LA PA OH FL MI NM MN WI IA NH Kerry 45. 48 42. 60 52 51. 51 50 58. 52 49. 57 -Bush 55. 51 57. 40 48 48. 47 48 40. 43 49. 41 Take them with a grain of sand, said [Kos](http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/11/2/14333/4849), thereby getting under [Brad DeLong](http://www.j-bradford-delong.net/movable_type/2004-2_archives/000491.html)’s skin. Oh yeah: the election isn’t over yet, but we have a winner, a **big** winner: _we, the people_. In all my years of following politics, I’ve never seen anything like this fervor to turn out and vote. I’m dead serious - whoever wins tonight, it makes me proud to be part of this crazy exercise in democracy we call America. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-foxnews-or-cnn-running-exit-poll-numbers-on-tv/272584/14 "2004-11-02T21:17:12Z")
[Movement to Kerry in the Iowa Electronic Markets](http://www.j-bradford-delong.net/movable_type/2004-2_archives/000493.html). I assume Brad’s interpreting the numbers correctly; he’s a big-league economist and all. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-foxnews-or-cnn-running-exit-poll-numbers-on-tv/272584/15 "2004-11-02T21:23:49Z")
[Turnout numbers from CNN, via MyDD](http://www.mydd.com/story/2004/11/2/154831/866): > [@](#): > > Ohio - African American precincts are performing at 106% what we expected, based on historical numbers. Hispanic precincts are at 144% what we expected. Precincts that went for Gore are turning out 8% higher then those that went Bush in 2000. Democratic base precincts are performing 15% higher than GOP base precincts. > Florida - Dem base precincts are performing 14% better than Bush base precincts. In precincts that went for Gore, they are doing 6% better than those that went for Bush. African American precincts at 109%, Hispanic precincts at 106%. > > Pennsylvania - African American precincts at 102% of expectations, Hispanics at 136% of expectations. The Gore precincts are doing 4 percent better than bush precincts. > > Michigan- Democratic base precincts are 8% better than GOP base states. Gore precincts are 5% better than Bush. MyDD doesn’t provide a link to CNN. But Jerome and Chris have never lied to me before. If these numbers are accurate, it’s time for the party to begin!