Dear colleagues,
Thank you for choosing our widgets for the U.S. elections. Here, we answer possible questions about the usage of our products.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- I. Before the Election: Election Campaigns – Polls
- II. Election Day: November 5
- What happens to the widgets on election day?
- Do I need new embed codes?
- What does the timeline on election night look like?
- When do the polls disappear from the widgets?
- How is a "called" state displayed?
- Are trends in the states shown?
- How often is data updated?
- How are the two special cases — Maine and Nebraska — displayed?
- When is a final result to be expected?
- Which source is used for live results?
- How do the congressional elections work?
- III. Data API
- IV. Contact
I. Before the Election: Election Campaigns – Polls
What do the widgets currently display?
The U.S. election campaign is in its final phase: Until the election on November 5, seven widgets with polls for the presidential election are available to you.
Info: The U.S. president is not elected directly by the people, but by a total of 538 state delegates who send varying numbers of electors to the Electoral College. The majority required to win the election is 270 electors.
What source is used?
The source for the poll data is RealClearPolitics. They aggregate various polls and form an unweighted average. The status in the poll widgets reflects the end date of the survey period of the most recent poll included in the aggregate. The date updates with each new poll. The current day's values from the "RCP Average" table row are displayed.
Please note: The values in the widget are updated hourly and show the latest table values published by RealClearPolitics. Only the most recent values are displayed. A poll trend (line chart) is not shown.
How do I use the Widgets?
We have compiled technical information about our widgets for you here:: https://dpaq.de/B1NZIXv
What widgets are available?
- Presidential Election - Polls: Candidates/Results: Distribution of Percentages
This widget shows the current state of political sentiment in the U.S. Apart from the U.S. map, this is the only widget that does not take the number of electors into account. However, due to the American electoral system, the percentage of voter support can significantly differ from the ultimately decisive number of total electors won.
- Presidential Election - Polls/Results: Distribution of Electors
This widget displays the number of electors won by each candidate. Regardless of the total number of votes (popular vote), it is the number of these electors sent by the states (electoral vote) that is actually relevant for the election of the president. The basis for these values is the poll average calculated by RealClearPolitics for each U.S. state. The distinction between safe/slight trend/strong trend/toss-up equals the devision into Solid/Likely/Leans/Tossup states listed by RealClearPolitics.
- Presidential Election - Polls/Results: States - Total, Map and List
The most comprehensive widget: In addition to the number of electors currently projected according to polls, U.S. states are color-coded on a map based on the respective polls. Next to it, there is a list of all states with the number of their electors.
- Presidential Election - Polls/Results: States - Total and Map/List
In addition to the number of electors, these two widgets each focus on one aspect of the above graphic: the map of the U.S., and the detailed list of states.
- Presidential Election - Polls/Results: States - Map
For embedding widgets that leave space for text reporting between the graphics in your page layout, it is recommended to use this widget, which is reduced to the U.S. map.
- Presidential Election - Individual States (live only)
This widget allows you to focus on the results of individual states. Under settings, you can select one state or multiple states side by side. Trend results are displayed as soon as data is available for the respective state. When a state is called, it is marked with a red or blue checkmark, and the electors are assigned to the winner.
Please note: This widget only displays live results, not poll data.
II. Election Day: November 5
What happens to the widgets on election day?
On Election Day, the values of the widgets mentioned under section I switch from poll data to live results—no re-embedding is necessary.
There is also an option on the setup page to "hard-set" whether polls or live results are displayed. This can ensure, for example, that in an article about polls, these are permanently displayed.
Do I need new embed codes?
The embed codes remain unchanged. The same embed codes used for the poll widgets will apply to the live results.
What does the timeline on election night look like?
Due to time differences and the various time zones within the U.S., election night spans a long period of time. For example, when the polling stations in Kentucky close at 06:00 p.m. local time, it will still be 1:00 p.m local time in Hawaii on Tuesday, November 5 - and in Berlin, it will be 00:00 midnight on Wednesday, November 6. The first election results are expected during the night of November 6, 2024.
00:00 (CET) / 23:00 (UTC) - Polls close in Indiana and Kentucky. Shortly after the polls close, the first results from smaller districts are expected, but they will not yet be displayed in the widgets. This happens when solid interim results are first reported from the states. At the same time as the publication of the first election data, the word "polls" will be deleted from the top of the widgets.
Polls closing times in US states in CET:
When do the surveys disappear from the widgets?
At 22:00 CET on November 5th, all survey data will disappear from the widgets and the message "No data available yet" will be displayed instead. When the first results are published, this notice is automatically deleted and replaced by live results.
How is a "called" state displayed?
The states in the widgets are colored according to party affiliation: blue for Democrats (Harris), red for Republicans (Trump). Once a state is called, meaning a likely winner is determined, the color changes to dark blue or dark red.
Are trends in the states shown?
In all widgets with the US map and/or the list of states, a Trend button is displayed. With the Show Trends toggle, you can color the states where no winner has been determined yet. These appear in light blue or red, depending on the leading candidate. The electoral votes of these states are then attributed to either Trump or Harris in the overall result. Without this toggle, uncalled states remain dark gray if results are available or light gray if no results are available yet. The overall result will then only include called states.
Please note: The Trend button is only active on election night and disappears once all states have been called. It is not visible for polls. You can configure in the settings whether you want to turn the Trend button on or off, and/or show or hide it.
How often is data updated?
All data are regularly updated. Once a state is called, the winner is published immediately.
Please note: We publish near-live election data. This means we monitor important events (called states, updates to the overall result) and publish them quickly. Important updates from swing states (battleground states) are also captured quickly. Trends in uncalled states are updated regularly. You can find all time details for the initial publication of data and subsequent updates in the table below.
Info: Based on past experience, in some states, electors are assigned (the state is called) right after polls close, even though the count progress, percentages, or absolute votes have not yet been reported.
| Data | First Publication | Update |
| State call (Preliminary) | Directly after CNN call | At least every 20 minutes |
| Intermediate state result (Trend) | At the latest after 10% counted | At least every 10 minutes |
| Count status state in % | Together with state trend result | With each further update |
| Absolute votes state | At the latest after 90% counted | With each further update |
| Call US | Directly after CNN call | With each further state call |
| Absolute votes US | After US call by CNN | With each further state call |
| House of Representatives | After first state call by CNN | With each further state call |
| Senate | After first state call by CNN | With each further state call |
How are the two special cases — Maine and Nebraska — displayed?
In almost all states, the winner-takes-all principle applies to the assignment of electoral votes. Maine and Nebraska are the exceptions, allowing for the distribution of votes. Maine has four electoral votes: two for the state's overall winner and one each for the winners in the two congressional districts. Nebraska has five votes: two for the overall winner and one each for the winners in the three congressional districts. In the widget, the called votes are shown in dark red or dark blue, and the remaining open votes are shown in dark gray. A trend for the entire state is not displayed as it does not accurately reflect the distribution of electors.
When is a final result to be expected?
Especially in the so-called swing states, it may take longer for a winner to be determined. The currently contested states include Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Wisconsin. Pennsylvania with 19 electors, as well as Georgia and North Carolina with 16 electors each, play a crucial role in the Electoral College. A close race in these states could significantly delay the preliminary election results. It could take several days for a final result to be available.
The official decision of the electors takes place on January 6, with the inauguration of either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump on January 20, 2025.
Which source is used for live results?
Based on previous years' experience, we will use CNN as the source on election night, as we did during the 2020 election. CNN has proven reliable, as the network is very cautious when calling a state, reducing the likelihood of having to correct the result later.
How do the congressional elections work?
In addition to the widgets for the presidential election, two other widgets will be important on November 5 – Results: House of Representatives and Results: Senate. Regardless of the outcome of the presidential election, the results of the congressional elections will strongly influence the work of the next U.S. administration.
House of Representatives
The House of Representatives consists of 435 members, who are directly elected every two years in their respective districts. These districts are defined constituencies within the states, with as equal a number of eligible voters as possible. Currently, the Republicans hold the majority with 222 to 212 seats (one seat is vacant).
The widget Results: House of Representatives shows the status before the election. During the election night, the bar will fill with the results of the new composition of the House. Below the bar, users will find information about the tasks of this chamber.
Senate
In the Senate, each state is represented by two senators. The total 100 senators (with a term of six years) are divided into three classes: two classes with 33 senators each and one with 34. Every two years, one of these classes is newly elected. In 2024, 34 seats are up for election (33 from Class I and one special election from Class II). Before the election, Democrats hold a slim majority with 51 seats, including four independent senators.
The widget shows the number of seats before the election, as well as the seats not up for election in 2024. During election night, the bar will fill with the results. Below the bars, users will find explanations of the Senate's role and responsibilities.
III. Data API
Can I access all data via an API?
In addition to delivering polls and results through our graphic widgets, all of this data is also available via API.
Detailed information can be found in this document: http://dpaq.de/z6xKP
IV. Contact
Further questions?
If you have further questions about the election, you can reach us from Monday to Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. via our service desk.
Email: service@dpa-info.com
Phone: 040-4113 31000