FAQ

Our election data is aggregated from the Secretary of State (or equivalent election body such as state/county boards). For certain countries and for smaller elections, we may rely on local media reports for results.

Yes! Our data is available through a free API with no registration or API keys required, in both JSON and CSV formats. We provide both live results and historic results (may be incomplete) through this API. See our API Documentation for more information.

During active elections, our system updates every 5-10 seconds to provide real-time results.

Any election we become aware of - so everything from local to national is covered for all countries.

Our data may be freely used for personal, non-commercial, or commercial use. Our data may be used for research, publication, teaching, publishing live results, or any other purpose. If used for a non-commercial or commercial purpose, attribution is required. Please include either a link to civicapi.org (preferred) or mention civicAPI somewhere.

civicAPI uses its own decision desk to make its calls. We try to make calls as quickly as possible, and are typically among the first to do so. We make our calls based on the following criteria:

• - the percentage of expected vote left
• - where outsanding votes remain
• - polling data (where available)
• - whether a candidate is over or underperforming their expected result

For a live election feed, consider following us on Twitter/X, Bluesky, or Fediverse.

Margin (Votes): Shows winner by raw vote margin
Margin (Percentage): Shows winner by percentage point margin
Raw: Shows winner without considering margin
Swing: Compares results against a previous election to show shifts in voting patterns

Percent reporting indicates the estimated percentage of precincts or ballot batches that have reported results. A race at 95% reporting means approximately 5% of votes remain to be counted and reported.

Swing maps show how voting patterns changed compared to a previous election. Areas colored more intensely swung more strongly toward that party. Purple areas indicate minimal change or competitive races.

We display results exactly as reported by official sources. While we strive for accuracy, always verify critical information with official election authorities. Discrepancies may occur during active counting.

We are not funded by any political entity, candidate, party, or organization.