Skip to main content

The context you need, when you need it

When news breaks, you need to understand what actually matters — and what to do about it. At Vox, our mission to help you make sense of the world has never been more vital. But we can’t do it on our own.

We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. Will you support our work and become a Vox Member today?

Join now

How to watch live election coverage online, on TV

After more than a year of campaigning, 26 primary and general election debates, countless press conferences, attack ads, victory speeches, public apologies, and concession speeches, Election Day is here.

It’s actually here.

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have made their closing arguments and watched as poll numbers have tightened, widened, and tightened again. More than 42 million early ballots have been cast. Get-out-the-vote operations are underway.

For the American people anxiously waiting, luckily there will be wall-to-wall coverage being broadcast and available online:

How to watch on TV

  • Fox News will begin its coverage on Monday, November 7, at 4 am Eastern, continuing live for 67 hours straight. Primetime election night coverage on Fox News will be hosted by Megyn Kelly and Brett Baier. (Here is the full schedule).
  • MSNBC will also have all-day election coverage Tuesday, which will lead into the primetime Election broadcast hosted by Rachel Maddow, Brian Williams, and Chris Matthews. The primetime election coverage will begin at 6 pm Eastern.
  • CNN will have 24-hour coverage of the Election Day results starting at midnight Eastern on November 8. CNN’s Election night special will begin at 4 pm Eastern, anchored by Wolf Blitzer, Jake Tapper, Dana Bash, and Anderson Cooper.
  • ABC will begin its Election Day programming at 7:30 pm Eastern, hosted by George Stephanopoulos.
  • NBC will continue to have daytime programming and begin its Election Day coverage — hosted by Lester Holt — at 6:30 pm Eastern.
  • C-SPAN will begin coverage at 8 pm Eastern.

More coverage can also be found on Bloomberg TV, PBS, Univision, and the BBC, among others.

How to watch online

Live election coverage can also be found online. Most TV news outlets will be streaming their coverage; some will require a cable subscription login.

Those without cable can also stream live election results from YouTube, which will start streaming programming from Bloomberg, NBC, and PBS, among others, starting at 7 pm Eastern.


What to watch for on election night

See More:

More in Politics

Podcasts
The Supreme Court abortion pills case, explainedThe Supreme Court abortion pills case, explained
Podcast
Podcasts

How Louisiana brought mifepristone back to SCOTUS.

By Peter Balonon-Rosen and Sean Rameswaram
Politics
Trump’s China policy is nearly the exact opposite of what everyone expectedTrump’s China policy is nearly the exact opposite of what everyone expected
Politics

As Trump heads to China, attention and resources are being shifted from Asia to yet another war in the Middle East.

By Joshua Keating
Politics
Are far-right politics just the new normal?Are far-right politics just the new normal?
Politics

Liberals are preparing for a longer war with right-wing populists than they once expected.

By Zack Beauchamp
The Logoff
Flavored vapes doomed Trump’s FDA headFlavored vapes doomed Trump’s FDA head
The Logoff

Why Marty Makary is out at the FDA, briefly explained.

By Cameron Peters
Politics
Virginia Democrats’ irresponsible new plan to save their gerrymanderVirginia Democrats’ irresponsible new plan to save their gerrymander
Politics

Democrats just handed the Supreme Court’s Republicans a loaded weapon.

By Ian Millhiser
The Logoff
Can Trump lower gas prices?Can Trump lower gas prices?
The Logoff

What suspending the gas tax would mean for you, briefly explained.

By Cameron Peters