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PoliticsQuiet 10d · day 11

MS NOW launches 'The Voter Poll' exit-polling project for 2026 midterms

Seven news organizations collaborate to survey 100,000 voters on election day to explain voting behavior and outcomes.

newest coverage 10d agosummary written 10d ago2 pieces NewswiresGoogle News

What to know

  • The Voter Poll is a coordinated exit-polling effort by seven major news organizations and SSRS surveying 100,000 voters across all 50 states on Election Day 2026.
  • Results release in real-time waves starting at 5 p.m. ET; candidate preference data withheld until polls close in each state to avoid influencing remaining voters.
  • Exit polls aim to explain not just who won, but why—identifying voter motivations around economy, foreign policy, and demographic shifts across the electorate.

“We plan to poll approximately 100,000 voters at physical polling locations, online and by phone, providing us a national sample of more than 75,000 respondents, as well as samples in all 50 states.”

MS NOW · MS NOW ↗

MS NOW Lead news organizationSSRS Survey research firm

MS NOW launches 'The Voter Poll' exit-polling project for 2026 midterms
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How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articles

Peak 1 piece in 3h at Nov 3, 4 AM; 2 pieces over 11 days (2 articles) Nov 3, 4 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Google News 1Nov 3, 7 AM — quietNov 3, 10 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Nov 3, 1 PM — quietNov 3, 4 PM — quietNov 3, 7 PM — quietNov 3, 10 PM — quietNov 4, 1 AM — quietNov 4, 4 AM — quietNov 4, 7 AM — quietNov 4, 10 AM — quietNov 4, 1 PM — quietNov 4, 4 PM — quietNov 4, 7 PM — quietNov 4, 10 PM — quietNov 5, 1 AM — quietNov 5, 4 AM — quietNov 5, 7 AM — quietNov 5, 10 AM — quietNov 5, 1 PM — quietNov 5, 4 PM — quietNov 5, 7 PM — quietNov 5, 10 PM — quietNov 6, 1 AM — quietNov 6, 4 AM — quietNov 6, 7 AM — quietNov 6, 10 AM — quietNov 6, 1 PM — quietNov 6, 4 PM — quietNov 6, 7 PM — quietNov 6, 10 PM — quietNov 7, 1 AM — quietNov 7, 4 AM — quietNov 7, 7 AM — quietNov 7, 10 AM — quietNov 7, 1 PM — quietNov 7, 4 PM — quietNov 7, 7 PM — quietNov 7, 10 PM — quietNov 8, 1 AM — quietNov 8, 4 AM — quietNov 8, 7 AM — quietNov 8, 10 AM — quietNov 8, 1 PM — quietNov 8, 4 PM — quietNov 8, 7 PM — quietNov 8, 10 PM — quietNov 9, 1 AM — quietNov 9, 4 AM — quietNov 9, 7 AM — quietNov 9, 10 AM — quietNov 9, 1 PM — quietNov 9, 4 PM — quietNov 9, 7 PM — quietNov 9, 10 PM — quietNov 10, 1 AM — quietNov 10, 4 AM — quietNov 10, 7 AM — quietNov 10, 10 AM — quietNov 10, 1 PM — quietNov 10, 4 PM — quietNov 10, 7 PM — quietNov 10, 10 PM — quietNov 11, 1 AM — quietNov 11, 4 AM — quietNov 11, 7 AM — quietNov 11, 10 AM — quietNov 11, 1 PM — quietNov 11, 4 PM — quietNov 11, 7 PM — quietNov 11, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 1 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 7 AM — quietYesterday, 10 AM — quietYesterday, 1 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 7 PM — quietYesterday, 10 PM — quietToday, 1 AM — quietToday, 4 AM — quietToday, 7 AM — quietToday, 10 AM — quietToday, 1 PM — quietToday, 4 PM — quietToday, 7 PM — quiet ◂ 1 earlier
Nov 4Nov 5Nov 6Nov 7Nov 8Nov 9Nov 10Nov 11yesterdaynow · 9:09 PM ET
  1. background

    The Voter Poll releases state-level race outcome data as polls close — As voting concludes in each state, The Voter Poll releases data on how different voter segments voted in specific races. Results arrive in waves throughout Election Day and are processed in real time, with candidate preference questions withheld until after polls close in each state.

  2. 1

    MS NOW and partners begin releasing The Voter Poll exit-polling data

    The Voter Poll, a collaboration between MS NOW, ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News, NBC News, The Associated Press, and research firm SSRS, begins releasing data from approximately 100,000 voters polled across all 50 states. Initial 5 p.m. ET release will focus on electorate characteristics and emerging voter views, excluding race outcome predictions.

    “The earliest you might see any Voter Poll estimates is 5 p.m. ET on Election Day. That initial release may include the characteristics and emerging views of the electorate, but it will not include questions that indicate the outcome of a particular race.”
    — MS NOW
    1. 1 outlet How The Voter Poll, MS NOW's election exit-polling project, works

      first by MS NOW, 10d ago