The minute polls closed, the Bangor Daily News and its national election results partners and Decision Desk HQ called the Maine Republican and Democratic presidential primaries for former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden, respectively.
We typically wait until results start coming in to do this, but these races were unique for two main reasons: Trump and Biden have been dominating the 2024 nominating races to date, and we had access to exit polling data in the states that were voting on Tuesday.
For election calls, many media outlets rely on The Associated Press, which collects election results across the country and makes predictions when the winner is clear. In Maine, the Bangor Daily News and the AP collect results independently, while we partner with Decision Desk HQ on calls.
Decision Desk HQ conducted exit polling in the dozen or so states holding primaries and not caucuses on Super Tuesday, a group that includes Maine. By the end, their workers talked with more than 2,500 voters, including those who cast their ballots on Election Day or by early voting.
Both the AP and Decision Desk HQ concurred in early calls on Tuesday. Biden and Trump started off the night by winning Virginia, while Biden also won Vermont and Iowa. Decision Desk HQ called several other states at the same time as Maine.
We wouldn’t have called the races unless we were absolutely certain of the outcome. If something changes as the night goes on, we will be transparent about it.