How in the hell can anyone project a winner with only 3%

[TheDebbieDee]

of the votes counted? Does that make any sense?

[Poll_Blind]

1. No, it doesn't and I'm watching what apparently is a debacle of epic proportions on MSNBC

Olbermann even took a jab at whomever sent it down the pipe. "In the last 50 minutes we've gone from too close to call, to too EARLY to call and now, a projected winner?"

Some bigwig at MSNBC is probably sweating it because FOX ignorantly called it for Clinton.

PB

[Bucky]

2. Statistical sampling.

Also, she's cute.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

Exit polls.

If the early returns match exit poll data with high fidelity they can project a winner early.

[dnbmathguy]

3. Exit polls

They didn't initially call it, presumably because the exit polls were within the margin of error. If she was doing better than expected in that 3%, that could be enough to push her over the margin of error of the exit polls.

[onehandle]

4. Welcome to Politics 101.

You must be new. This is how it always is especially when there is a clear winner.

[Lil Missy]

5. It's partially based on exit polling too. n/t

[Rosa Luxemburg]

6. they have a good idea

[stevedeshazer]

7. It's happened many times

[depakid]

8. Depends where the votes are coming in from

certain key precincts can be fairly predictive of the outcome- though not necessarily the margin of victory.

[Exultant Democracy]

9. Yes it makes sense, they can generally call it as soon as the polls close without a count.

The only time they don't call it is when the exit polls are in the margin of error.

[cui bono]

10. I call Bullshit.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

11. I know. Pisses me off, too.

[nebula]

12. Fox was given the Diebold results in advance

that's how!

[sniffa]

13. They do it with 0%

The calls are usually correct, save a Florida or two.

[ileus]

14. didn't obama project a winner b4 the first vote was cast?

[IamyourTVandIownyou]

15. Not sure, but legislation needs to be passed that if they are wrong.

They pay a fine.

[FlyingSquirrel]

16. OMFG

OMFG
OMFG

Just for that I think I'll go kick Ten Things to Remember on Tuesday Night just to make myself feel better about this.

:crazy:

[southerncrone]

17. Exit polls only reflect a few voters a some precincts. Makes more

sense to assume the voting machines are rigged, so we know the outcome before anyone casts a vote on election day.

Look out for November. We never got the voting machine problem addressed, so the Repukes can still win in November. It's all about the software.

[HuffleClaw]

18. we had a federal election in Canada in recent years...

...in which the CBC called the election about five minutes after the polls closed. it was some boring.