One of the most anticipated and hyped US presidential elections in years is upon us as the last of the ‘States go to the polls on Tuesday 3 November.
Last time out – then the most anticipated and hyped – I bedded in on the couch for the entire night, hopping between US and UK channels for breaking count results. Whatever about Irish elections, there’s nothing quite like the circus of a US election.
Things seemed to be going fine for Hillary Clinton, then I closed my eyes for a few minutes, woke up and saw the graphics for Donald Trump being declared the 45th president of the United States of America.
Whether he keeps his job, or it goes to Joe Biden, will be revealed in the wee hours of Tuesday night/Wednesday morning.
The final tally, if reports are to be believed, may not be unveiled this week or next at all with postal votes, Covid restrictions, Florida, a whole plethora of factors.
Whatever happens, and whichever horse wins the race, it’s bound to be an entertaining and intriguing night.
Here’s a few sources to keep you up to date.
US Election Night Coverage (TV/Radio)
Radio: Newstalk
Newstalk are hosting an election special across the night on air (106-108FM) with programming getting underway from 11pm. Their Race to the White House special is chaired by Simon Tierney with a host of guests running up to 2.30am.
TV: RTÉ One
RTÉ have set up a dedicated election news section of their website but from a TV point of view they’ll be going live in studio from from 11.15pm until late in the night with Caitríona Perry in studio with Robert Shortt, Carole Coleman and a range of guests.
They’ll be taking feeds and updates from CBS News in the US then crossing to a simulcast of CBS News: US Presidential Election Coverage between 3.30am and 6am on RTÉ One.
On the radio side of things, Katie Hannon hosts an extended Late Debate from 10pm (RTÉ Radio 1), before the service switches to live election coverage from NPR in the US at midnight.
Watch live via RTÉ Player.
TV: Sky News
Sky will have rolling coverage across the day but their election coverage ramps up at 10pm with Dermot Murnaghan in studio. First polls in the US close at midnight so it won’t be much later before the early states start to declare.
Watch via the link above.
TV: BBC One
The BBC’s election coverage gets underway at 11.30pm, a half hour before the first of the polls on the east coast closes. Katty Kay and Andrew Neil are leading the coverage with the BBC’s night shift going all the way through to 9am with the pair hosting studio guests and correspondents on both campaigns.
You’ll need to turn on the TV for this one unless you’re using a VPN service to access BBC iPlayer.
TV: ITV
ITV’s overnight coverage gets underway at 11pm and continues through to 6am when the last of the polls on the west coast close. If the result isn’t called at that stage, that’s where ITV’s election coverage stops before they revert to Good Morning Britain.
Similarly with ITV, unless you’re using a VPN service for online viewing, you’ll have to flick on the telly / Sky box etc.
TV: CBS (US)
This link should get you the CBS coverage live which gets underway from 7am ET (midday in Ireland) on Tuesday. From 7PM ET (midnight in Ireland). CBSN is carrying continuing coverage, exit poll analysis and more. The CBS feed will be carried by RTÉ One after 3am. I pick up CBS with their app on my Amazon Firestick.
TV: NBC (US)
The NBC News Special: Decision 2020 Election Night airs on US channel NBC from midnight Irish time until around 4am, but they’ll have rolling coverage pre and post programme.
You can watch NBC’s coverage online here running from midday Tuesday all the way across the night.
