So after greater than a 12 months of campaigning, all of it comes all the way down to this. On radio, TV and on-line, the BBC is gearing up for an enormous night time – in English and 27 different languages. And never only one large night time, however 51 separate contests.
In contrast to most different nations, the US election will not be a nationwide “in style ballot”. As a substitute, the president is elected by an Electoral Faculty of 538 delegates from every of the 50 states, plus the District of Columbia. What number of come from every, depends upon their inhabitants. In order the votes pile up, it is the way in which every state votes that may resolve the election.
In most states, due to exit polls, it might be attainable to mission a end result the second the polls shut. Working with our buddies at ABC Information, the BBC will “name” the outcomes, state by state, primarily based on these projections. In states which can be too near name, digital voting will imply we’re capable of observe the counting in actual time, primarily based on the variety of voting precincts reporting.
The primary actual check will come at midnight GMT when polls shut in six states. Virginia, with 13 electoral school votes, would be the first of the battle floor states to report. Half an hour later at 00:30 GMT, polls can even shut in Ohio with its 18 votes and North Carolina with 15 votes. Because the polls shut, the BBC will name the end in every primarily based on projections made by ABC Information.
Utilizing the outcomes service on the BBC Information web site, you can observe the identical knowledge driving the BBC’s outcomes system on TV and radio. They are going to embrace the state outcomes, the resultant change within the Electoral Faculty vote, and can color the state and nationwide maps accordingly – crimson for Republican states, blue for Democrats.
The goal for Barack Obama and Mitt Romney is to hit a determine of 270 – successful the vast majority of the 538 delegates to the Electoral Faculty. As soon as one of many candidates passes the magic 270 whole, this election will probably be over. Then – and solely then – will the BBC name the election. A giant night time and, presumably, an extended night time beckons.
Jon Williams is world information editor.
