Will any of the networks call the race on election night?

[Funtatlaguy]

I know all of the talk now is about suppressed mail in votes and what that could mean to late counting in many states going on for days or even weeks.
However, if Biden is SO FAR AHEAD in exit polling, released day of vote raw totals, number of registered Dems vs GOP mailed in ballots in a state - the call in many states may come between 7-11pm eastern time like in most Presidential elections.

According to the site 270 to win, Biden wins even without any of their tossup states.

https://www.270towin.com/

So, here’s hoping we celebrate as soon as California is called on the night of November 3rd!

[DonaldsRump]

1. My view is that Trump will lose in one of the biggest landslides ever

The fact that he is trying to tamper with the USPS tells me that he knows how bad things are. Other than some racists, I can't imagine too many deplorables being all that enthusiastic for this obese POS.

That being said, Rs excel at voter suppression, foreign interference, and dirty/criminal tricks, so there's that we need to deal with.

However, Trump has FUBAR'ed the Trump Virus in the US so badly that I cannot see how he can recover in 80 days.

[Laelth]

2. YES. They all will.

Biden/Harris will win in a landslide.

Trump can whine all he wants about election fraud, but the margin of victory will be so large that all the major networks will feel confident calling the election for Biden/Harris.

Come on? A pandemic killing 170,000+ Americans? A deep economic depression? 20+ million unemployed? 25% of Americans in danger of eviction? Civil unrest throughout the nation (even in our small cities)? No incumbent ought to expect to win under these circumstances. Trump will lose big (and if I am wrong, I need to work on my Spanish because Mexico is about the only country that will take me).

-Laelth

[HotTeaBag]

3. I don't think they'll be able to.

Some states can't start counting mail in ballots until election day and with COVID there will be a ton more mail in ballots than usual.

Kornacki was on the Bulwark podcast and said that NBC was operating on the assumption that the election won't be decided until sometime after the 3rd., basically saying that they aren't going to call anything on the night of the election.

[elleng]

5. I agree.

[Awsi Dooger]

14. It won't be called on election night

Too many outstanding ballots and the networks will be cautious anyway.

It's important to have indications from a key state like Florida. As mentioned, Florida counts absentees quickly. I imagine it will be like 2000 again with all eyes on Florida.

Steve Schale is the key source. Nothing will be nearby as significant as Steve Schale between let's say 7 and 8 PM on election night. He is the Florida elections expert and no doubt will be tweeting county by county indications, just like 2016. If Florida is going well this time according to Schale then everything else should follow suit. I really wish Biden would max prioritize Florida and give up on pipe dreams elsewhere.

[qazplm135]

4. depends

Florida is very quick at counting mail-in votes. If he wins Florida that night, and let's say Minnesota and Michigan come in with enough votes to call for him, then we can have PA, WI, AZ, NC, GA, and OH all be undecided and Biden still gets 277 votes.

So my thought is, if he wins Florida, it's called on election night.
If not, might be a bit harder to call on election night.

[Hekate]

7. Start calling & writing them asap

[Thekaspervote]

8. I believe it will be called..hopefully by 11pm mountain or pacific time

[msongs]

9. important to vote in a way that ballots will be counted and announced early as possible.

a clear cut early decision is important when so many ballots will be out there coming in delayed

[crickets]

11. Yes! As much early voting as possible

by either requesting/mailing ballots ASAP, dropping off ballots in person, or taking advantage of early voting. Not all states allow every option, so everyone needs to check availability and dates. Get it done as early as you can.

https://www.vote.org/early-voting-calendar/

Thanks to DUer Budi for posting this link:
https://www.postcardsforamerica.com/vote-by-mail.html

[JimGinPA]

12. Fox Will Call It Early

[lettucebe]

13. They only call the race when the remaining to be counted are not enough

to overcome the difference. I doubt they'd be able to ascertain such in a national election.

Who cares? So it takes a few days. I live in Washington State. Our vote is entirely by mail and we always wait for the completed count. It's not that big a deal -- Trump's a jackass

[drray23]

15. mail in ballot are counted ahead of time before the election.

so if everybody who votes by mail does it early and they arrive in time they will be counted. if you recall kornacky on election nights he often points out this first set of number are from the early votes.
its very important we vote as early as we can to defuse Trump's scheme of screwing with the usps.