Maya Sweedler, Author at The Rapid City Post

FILE - People walk past a "vote" sign on the first day of early voting in the general election in Miami, Oct. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)

AP has declared winners in elections for nearly 180 years. This is why and how race calls are made

November 2, 2025

The Associated Press will compile votes and declare winners in elections across the U.S. on Tuesday, just as the news organization has done for nearly 180 years. The U.S. doesn’t have a nationwide body that collects and releases election results. Elections are administered locally, by thousands of offices, following standards set by the states. In many cases, the states themselves don’t even offer up-to-date tracking of election results. AP fills this gap by compiling vote results and declaring winners in elections — providing critical information in the period between Election Day and the official certification of results, which typically takes weeks.

Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, center, speaks during a mayoral debate with independent candidate former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, left, and Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis, Pool)

AP Decision Notes: What to expect in New York on Election Day

October 28, 2025

The nation’s biggest city will pick its next mayor on Tuesday in an election that has sparked debate over the future of the Democratic Party. Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani will take on former Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for the second time in the New York City race. Mamdani is a 33-year-old state assembly member and democratic socialist who jolted the party with his victory in the June primary. Cuomo lost the Democratic primary and is running as an independent. Curtis Sliwa is the Republican nominee for the second consecutive election.

A sample ballot is pictured before early voting starts in California's statewide special election, Friday, Oct. 3, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Paula Ulichney-Munoz)

AP Decision Notes: What to expect in California’s special election

October 28, 2025

California voters head to the polls on Tuesday with just one yes-or-no question on the ballot. Passing Proposition 50 would implement a new congressional map, which passed the state legislature in August, for the next three election cycles. After the 2030 U.S. Census, the state’s independent redistricting commission would resume drawing maps. The outcome of this ballot measure could help determine control of the U.S. House after the 2026 midterm elections. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom pushed for the new map after President Donald Trump urged Republican-led states to redraw their maps to help the GOP.

Dusk falls as children play at a temporary tent camp for displaced Palestinians in Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, Monday, Oct. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

How American views on Israel and antisemitism have changed since Oct. 7

October 6, 2025

Nearly two years after the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks in Israel and the county’s ensuing invasion of the Gaza Strip, Americans are more divided on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict than they were before the war – and concerns are mounting about the safety of Jewish communities at home. The partisan split in public opinion on Israel predates the current war with Hamas, but recent polling suggests that some Americans have lost sympathy with the Israelis over the course of the war. The war has amplified debates in the U.S. not just about foreign policy, but also about the safety and visibility of Jewish communities in America, where fears of antisemitism are rising alongside growing divides over Israel.

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs runs with the ball as Washington Commanders cornerback Trey Amos (23) defends during the second half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Many sports fans are unhappy with how much it costs to watch their games, an AP-NORC poll finds

September 16, 2025

A new poll finds sports fans are likelier to use a combination of streaming services and traditional TV options to access their favorite teams. The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll shows this complicated and often expensive patchwork is common for many sports fans and leaves them beholden to multiple platforms and subscriptions if they want to keep up with their teams. About 4 in 10 people who follow sports “extremely” or “very” closely use both cable and satellite TV and a sports streaming platform. That’s compared with about 2 in 10 people who follow sports “somewhat” closely.

Maya Sweedler.

AP has declared winners in elections for nearly 180 years. This is why and how race calls are made

AP Decision Notes: What to expect in New York on Election Day

AP Decision Notes: What to expect in California’s special election

How American views on Israel and antisemitism have changed since Oct. 7

Many sports fans are unhappy with how much it costs to watch their games, an AP-NORC poll finds

Finance.