The networks assure us that their new exit polling system will work ever so much better than the old one.
The six news organizations that have formed the National Election Pool — ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, Fox News Channel and the AP — say they’re confident things will go better this time, based on test runs and the experience of people involved.
Still, the TV networks said they would be careful projecting winners after prematurely declaring Florida, and the 2000 election, for George W. Bush. (The AP did not declare Bush the winner on election night). The election wasn’t ultimately determined for weeks after vote recounts and court fights.
Memo to network executives: we don’t need your exit polling or your projected winners, because we’ve already got a system in place to determine the outcome of the election.
It’s called voting.
See, what you do is, you shut up and wait until the votes are counted and — voila — you find out who won. It’s just that simple.