National Election Pool (NEP)

The National Election Pool (NEP) is a consortium of news organizations—ABC, the Associated Press (AP), CBS, CNN, FOX, and NBC—that conducts exit polls, related surveys of voters, and samples of tabulated vote in U.S. elections. These data allow NEP members to project or "call" winners of many political races earlier than would be possible based on final vote count alone. The voter surveys also allow pool members and subscribers to analyze demographic, attitudinal, and other variables that help explain election outcomes.

Typically the exit polls and sample vote count cover top-of-the-ticket statewide races including those for president, U.S. Senate, and governor, as well as selected ballot initiatives. NEP also conducts a national voter survey in general elections. The NEP exit polls are among the largest one—day ...