Exit Polls, Election 2012: TV Networks Agree Not to Announce Exit Polls

Major networks have decided not to show exit poll results between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. Reuters reported, "The major TV news networks agreed to shield early exit poll data suggesting who is leading in a state until the state's polls close. That means no tweeting exit polls, posting on Facebook, or re-tweeting figures reported by others."

NBC News director of elections Sheldon Gawiser said to Reuters that NBC will not project or "characterize a race until all the polls are scheduled to have closed in that state."

Exit poll data is collected by Edison Media Research for the National Election Pool, Reuters reported.

Reuters reported that releasing exit polls worry election officials because they think it could discourage people from voting if they believe results in their state have already been decided. In the election there are key states that could sway the election one way or the other for Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. The race is close and states such as Ohio, Virginia and Florida could make or break who remains or enters The White House.

With voting taking place Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012, these states are key in deciding who wins the election.

"It has resurrected memories of the disputed 2000 election between Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Al Gore - some media outlets projected a Gore victory in Florida while polls in the western part of the state remained open. The networks later pulled back, leaving doubt about who won and leading to a month of r e counts and court battles," reported Reuters.

Republican Strategist Jeff Berkowitz said to Reuters that announcing early results publically can be a big problem. "For somebody who's got seven things on their list to do that day, and if they're already being told the election is over, are they really going to prioritize voting over the other six?" he said.

With voting occurring around the country today, Americans are waiting for results to come out today, exit polls or not. Soon, the U.S. will have its answer.

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