PolitiFact’s guide to reliable news and information on Election Night

Confused about the most reliable sources to track as the election returns roll in the evening of Nov. 5? We’re here to help.

News websites with results and analysis

The best and most unbiased information will come from traditional media sources.

The major broadcast and cable networks will have their own “decision desks” that sort through the raw results and determine when it’s appropriate to “call” a state for one candidate or the other — and when it’s not. These decision desks are staffed by experienced number crunchers with no partisan ax to grind. 

Many major media outlets will devote entire sections of their websites to collecting real-time results. The big broadcast networks include ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News and NBC; their election night websites are usually extensive. (Although Fox News’ commentators are generally aligned with former President Donald Trump, its decision desk is widely considered to be as credible and independent as those at the other networks.) The Associated Press has its own race-calling operation that also supplies other media outlets, as does Decision Desk HQ.

Other major media outlets that should have detailed and trustworthy results and analyses include The New York Times, The Washington Post and Politico. Other news outlets to keep in the mix include NPR, PBS, the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg News.

A few news websites have launched useful pages for following the returns.

FiveThirtyEight: Benchmarks to estimate how well candidates need to do in each county

FiveThirtyEight: A guide to poll closing times, vote counting and races to watch in every state

Semafor: An hour-by-hour guide on how to watch the 2024 election like an expert

Trusted reporters and analysts on X

On X, a fast medium ideally suited to sharing data instantly, it’s informative to keep an eye on the bite-sized dispatches from political journalists and academics. People who want credible data and thoughtful analysis should focus primarily on ideologically neutral accounts on election night rather than getting swept up in cherry-picked information by partisans on one side or the other.

The following list includes a selection of politically oriented X accounts that have a track record of tweeting real-time, granular reports on election results, either nationally or in the states, and that are open-minded and ideologically neutral. It also includes accounts that offer reliable analysis of election administration. 

• FiveThirtyEight: G. Elliott Morris (@gelliottmorris), Geoffrey Skelley (@geoffreyvs), Nathaniel Rakich (@baseballot)

• Cook Political Report with Amy Walter: Amy Walter (@amyewalter), David Wasserman (@Redistrict), Jessica Taylor (@JessicaTaylor), Erin Covey (@ercovey)

• Sabato’s Crystal Ball: Larry Sabato (@LarrySabato), Kyle Kondik (@kkondik), J. Miles Coleman (@JMilesColeman)

• Inside Elections: Nathan Gonzales (@nathanlgonzales), Jacob Rubashkin (@jacobrubashkin), Brad Wascher (@bradwascher)

• National Journal’s Hotline: Kirk Bado (@kirk_bado), Mary Frances McGowan (@maryfrancesmcg)

• Decision Desk HQ: Main account (@DecisionDeskHQ)

• Split Ticket: Lakshya Jain (@lxeagle17)

• Bolts: Daniel Nichanian (@Taniel)

• Elections Daily: Main account (@Elections_Daily)

• CNalysis: Chaz Nuttycombe (@ChazNuttycombe)

• Semafor: Dave Weigel (@daveweigel)

• The Associated Press: Main account (@AP)

• The New York Times: Nate Cohn (@Nate_Cohn), Shane Goldmacher (@ShaneGoldmacher), Ruth Igielnik (@RuthIgielnik)

• The Washington Post: Meryl Kornfield (@MerylKornfield), Matt Viser (@mviser), Philip Bump (@pbump), Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake)

• Politico: Steve Shepard (@POLITICO_Steve), Jonathan Martin (@jmart), Charlie Mahtesian (@PoliticoCharlie)

Other journalists: Tim Alberta, The Atlantic (@TimAlberta), Ron Brownstein, The Atlantic and CNN (@RonBrownstein), Steve Kornacki, NBC (@SteveKornacki); Sahil Kapur, NBC News (@sahilkapur), John King, CNN (@JohnKingCNN); Harry Enten, CNN (@ForecasterEnten); Jennifer Epstein, Bloomberg News (@jeneps), Sean Trende, RealClearPolitics (@SeanTrende), Louis Jacobson, PolitiFact and U.S. News & World Report (@loujacobson).

If election night turns into a question of legal battles, some good experts to follow on election law and administration are: 

• Rick Hasen, University of California, Los Angeles, law professor (@rickhasen)

• Ned Foley, Ohio State University law professor (@nedfoley)

• Michael McDonald, University of Florida political scientist (@ElectProject)

• Nate Persily, Stanford University law professor (@persily)

• Jessica Huseman, Votebeat (@JessicaHuseman)

• Chris Stirewalt, NewsNation and American Enterprise Institute (@ChrisStirewalt)

• Marc Elias, Democracy Docket (@marceelias)

• Amy Sherman, PolitiFact (@AmySherman1).

For deep dives into some of the battleground states, we include journalists, political scientists, and others who keep close track of voting patterns and election administration in their states:

• Arizona: Stephen Richer, Maricopa County recorder (@stephen_richer), Garrett Archer, ABC 15 (@Garrett_Archer), Jen Fifield, Votebeat (@JenAFifield), David Byler, Noble Predictive Insights (@databyler)

• Georgia: Greg Bluestein, Atlanta Journal-Constitution (@bluestein), Stephen Fowler, NPR (@stphnfwlr), Mark Niesse, Atlanta Journal-Constitution (@markniesse), Tia Mitchell, Atlanta Journal-Constitution (@ajconwashington)

• Michigan: Chad Livengood, Detroit News (@ChadLivengood), Emily Lawler, Detroit Free Press (@emilyjanelawler), Clara Hendrickson, Detroit Free Press (@clarajanehen), Hayley Harding, Votebeat (@Hayley__Harding), Jonathan Oosting, Bridge Michigan (@jonathanoosting), Isabella Volmert, The Associated Press (@isabellavolmert)

• Nevada: Jon Ralston, Nevada Independent (@RalstonReports)

• North Carolina: Michael Bitzer, Catawba University, (@BowTiePolitics), Chris Cooper, Western Carolina University (@chriscooperwcu)

• Pennsylvania: Jonathan Lai, Politico (@Elaijuh), Carter Walker, VoteBeat (@ByCarterWalker), Jonathan Tamari, Bloomberg News (@JonathanTamari)

• Wisconsin: Craig Gilbert, Lubar fellow at Marquette University Law School and formerly of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (@WisVoter); Molly Beck, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (@MollyBeck), Scott Bauer, The Associated Press (@sbauerAP), Jessie Opoien, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (@jessieopie), Patrick Marley, The Washington Post (@patrickdmarley), Charles Franklin, Marquette Law School poll (@PollsAndVotes)

We’ve assembled all of these accounts on an X list that you can follow by clicking here.