Elections that were called incorrectly?

[Tekken_Guy]

What elections in the past were called incorrectly?

[TML]

Do you mean elections in which the media projected the wrong winner on or after Election Night?

[GeorgiaModerate]

2000 Florida (presidential) is the poster child for this.

[Arizona Iced Tea]

Might be the Mandela effect but I distinctly remember CNN calling IL-13 for Londrigan in 2018 over Davis.

[Fancyarcher]

1996 New Hampshire senate, Dick Swett made Bob Smith's sweat.

[JMT]

In 2018, the AP called CA-21 for David Valadao but TJ Cox ended up winning.

In 2004, Dino Rossi was the certified winner for WA Governor in the initial automated count and automated recount, but a second hand recount put Christine Gregoire over the top.

I know there’s others, but those are the first two to come to mind.

[Roll Roons]

Their call was correct in the end, but the AP called NJ-07 too early in 2020 and there was a period where it looked like they could be wrong.

[GeorgiaModerate]

And of course, there was the classic 1974 NH Senate election: https://www.senate.gov/about/origins-foundations/electing-appointing-senators/durkin-wyman-election.htm

[Since I'm the mad scientist proclaimed by myself]

Their call was correct in the end, but the AP called NJ-07 too early in 2020 and there was a period where it looked like they could be wrong.

Same happened that year with fox news and AZ-pres.

[Oryxslayer]

Happens far more often that you would assume (or anyone like) when the constituency size gets small. Things like State Legislators, County offices, city offices. Mostly in places where the size of such electorates isn't absurd - for example not TX/CA - and where national attention is minimal.

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

A couple that I recall:

- The 1996 NH Senate race already mentioned

- In 1994, at least one network called the MD Gov race for Ellen Sauerbrey, which was actually won by Parris Glendening.  This led to protract but futile legal battle by Sauerbrey which almost certainly undermined her effort to beat Glendening in 1998.

- In 1988, Illinois was called for Michael Dukakis, but won by George H.W. Bush, though by this point in the night it was already obvious Bush had won the election. This was the first year I was following politics at all (at age 9).

I believe networks got a lot more cautious about this after the 2000 Florida debacle.

[SnowLabrador]

I feel like the Democratic primary in FL-GOV 2018 was called for Graham at first, but then shifted to Gillum when more votes came in.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Might be the Mandela effect but I distinctly remember CNN calling IL-13 for Londrigan in 2018 over Davis.

Yep, I remember that too

[TheTide]

NBC called California for Kennedy in 1960, which put him over the necessary 269 electoral votes by their calculations. Hawaii was also called wrongly for Nixon by some sources.

[Born to Slay. Forced to Work.]

Someone link the famous Truman photo

[GAinDC]

I think in 1992, the Georgia senate race was incorrectly called for Wyche Fowler when it ended up going to a runoff that Paul Coverdell won

[Fuzzy Bear Loves Christian Missionaries]

Buddy MacKay (D) was a projected winner over Connie Mack (R) in the 1988 Senate Race.

Charlie Graddick (D) was the winner of the 1986 Democratic Primary for AL Governor, but it was overturned when it was determined that a large number of people who voted in a Republican Primary voted for Graddick in the runoff.

[kcguy]

Not a wrong call, per se, but the 1998 KY Senate race comes to mind.

CNN waited until 92% of the vote was counted before calling the race for Jim Bunning.  Soon after, Scotty Baesler surged into the lead for practically the first time all night.

Bunning eventually won, though, so not a wrong call.

[Mr. Smith]

1980 GA-SEN for Talmadge rather than Mattingly.

[TDAS04]

Iowa Republican Caucus 2012, if that counts.

[kwabbit]

1996 was a pretty bad year for this. They outright missed the NH Senate race, but also erroneously had instantaneous calls for many states that ended up being fairly close.

[Republican Party Stalwart]

NBC called California for Kennedy in 1960, which put him over the necessary 269 electoral votes by their calculations. Hawaii was also called wrongly for Nixon by some sources.

IIRC Nixon actually was the winner of the first vote count in Hawaii, and Kennedy was only declared winner following the recount.