Welcome to the Federal Review Interactive Election Guide

The Guide is an Excel Spreadsheet that will be available for download prior to the election.

Below are the instructions, that will be included in the Excel file.

Right Click to DOWNLOAD THE FILE HERE

To assist your viewing of election night returns, we have developed this interactive election guide. To go to the guide, click on the green tab "Viewing Guide" below.

Your job is simple. Once a state is projected (or you think it should be but the networks are slow), you will type in an x under your candidate for that state.

Conveniently, the states are listed by latest poll closing time. If in italics, the polls might close earlier, but are allowed under law to stay open or close at staggered times. I have ordered the states by the latest that their polls might close. Although I've listed Missouri without consideration of rogue judges keeping polls open in inner city St. Louis until midnight, as in 2000.

Mark the x in the cell next to the state and directly beneath the projected candidate. Below is an example showing Indiana is called for Bush.

Poll Closing Time (EST)

State

Electoral Votes

Bush / Cheney

Kerry / Edwards

Commentary

7:00pm

Indiana

Bush took care of business.

Kentucky

Bush should win Kentucky easily

Once you type the x in Bush's column hit ENTER and the line will turn blue. For Kerry, it will turn red. If you make a mistake, just click on the column and hit delete. Insightful(?) commentary will change depending on who wins.

Now, look at the top of the Viewing Guide page. You will see several columns as shown below.

Federal Review Election Night Viewing Guide

Electoral Votes Won

Needed to Win

FR Projection

FR Predicts All States

2000 Results

George W. Bush

269

210

296

278

John F. Kerry

270

203

242

260

Electoral Votes Won

A running total of electoral votes per candidate, based on election night projections that you mark with an x.

Needed to Win

Based on total votes already projected on election night. Since the House selects in a tie and the House votes by state delegation (not by individual representative), Bush will win reelection with 269 electoral votes.

Min. Expected EV

This means that all states that the Federal Review Composite Analysis believes are certain are already totalled. The number will increase as toss-ups are projected and you type an x for that particular state. The numbers shown will be the expected minimum number or electoral votes the candidate is expected to get. Your candidate will get at least the number shown here.

FR Predicts All States

Here, I've taken my best guess as to how the toss-ups will go. Thus, as you assign states by typing the x, this number will change to show you the result as if all of my other predictions are correct.

2000 Results

If these numbers change, you will be alerted that the Republicans or Democrats gained or lost a state they had won or lost in 2000.

You will also be able to enjoy a graphic representation of the number of electoral votes won and projected.

Enjoy, and remember to visit

http://www.federalreview.com/

to see our projections on election night.

If you use this guide and like it (or have questions), please email me at winston at federalreview dot com.