Election Day is finally here, and America is bracing itself for the final outcome of one of the most heated, gripping and downright surprising Presidential races in recent history. With all its unforeseen twists and turns, each campaign has been on a rigorous journey — all coming to a head today. The debates are over. The campaigning is (mostly) done. All we can do now is wait and watch (and, of course, vote). But as the tension builds and the votes roll in, most of us can’t stay glued to a TV set throughout the day. Thankfully, many organizations and platforms are offering free streaming and digital reporting options, so you can follow the most important information from social media and your mobile device without rearranging your life. Here are a few of the online election coverage options we’re most excited about:
BuzzFeed Streaming From Twitter
You may have noticed Twitter getting in on live sports coverage lately. In a recent deal with the NFL, NBA and MLB, the social media titan has been experimenting with live event streaming — with great success. Today’s election will be no different. Armed with BuzzFeed reporters Adrian Carrasquillo, Tracy Clayton, Eugene Yang and Hannah Jewell, the commentary and content promises to be as interesting as it will be entertaining. To watch, simply visit Twitter via the app or browser, and you’ll see an option to watch the stream. You’ll probably get a push notification about it as well.
Facebook Live
While many, many news outlets and media organizations will be having some sort of Facebook Live coverage of this year, here are a few we’re looking forward to:
- ABC – With some Facebook Live coverage already under its belt, ABC is coming at the 2016 race again, but this time with extra heat. Data scientist Nate Silver from ESPN’s FiveThirtyEight will also be providing in-depth analysis and predictions as the numbers come in. To watch, visit their Facebook page.
- Wired – In addition to their live blog, the tech publication is teaming up with Ozy to provide Facebook Live coverage starting at 6pm, ET. To watch, visit their Facebook page.
- NowThis News – Focused specifically on mobile and social media audiences since its inception, NowThis News will be a great source for election coverage throughout the day. Just visit their Facebook page NowThis Election to watch.
New York Times
The New York Times will be temporarily lifting its paywall between Nov. 7-9 to provide free, exclusive election coverage to all. With unmatched reporting through multilayered stories, including renowned infographics and interactives, the New York Times is sure to have up-to-date and high quality coverage of the event from start to finish. Just visit its Election 2016 page to start boning up!
Live on YouTube
Of course, countless entities will be reporting live from YouTube. YouTube has created a short list of their favorite blog posts a few days ago, including NBC, MTV and PBS. Visit any of their pages starting at 7pm, ET, for live coverage.
Honorable Mention: Purple. Calling itself your “pocket-sized nerds, ready to drop knowledge whenever you need it,” Purple is an innovative news source. Through human interaction and artificial intelligence, Purple sends text updates and coverage via Facebook Messenger. It’s personal, fun and an exciting new way to interact with news, especially when you don’t have the ability or time to watch a live stream.