MSNBC Continually Features Inaccurate Poll Closing Times

Sometimes, the multitude of information and data that floods the airwaves on Election Day can be too overwhelming to keep track of.

During MSNBC's coverage today, according to Media Matters, the cable news network continually aired "graphics that purported to show "POLL CLOSING" times for each state. But in states that cross over time zones, the times listed in the graphics reflected the western-most time zone in the state, in which polls close an hour later than the rest of the state. Thus, people watching MSNBC in the eastern portion of some states could be left with the impression that local polls would be open for an hour after they actually close."

According to Media Matters:

For example, according to the Florida Department of State's "2008 Voter Registration and Voting Guide," "Polls will be open on election day from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. local time." Since Florida is split between the Eastern and Central time zones, polls close at 7 p.m. ET in some parts of the state and at 8 p.m. ET in other parts, not at 8 p.m. ET throughout the state, as the MSNBC graphic indicated. Likewise, according to the Michigan Secretary of State, polls in the state are "open from 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m," but since the state is in two time zones, the majority of the state polls close at 8 p.m. ET, and the remainder close at 9 p.m. ET. But the MSNBC graphic suggested that all polls in the state close at 9 p.m. ET.

Moreover, MSNBC aired the graphic even after NBC News political director Chuck Todd acknowledged the differences in poll closing times in Florida. During the noon ET hour of MSNBC Live, Todd said, "And a reminder, when you see that we have polls closing at 8 o'clock in Florida, that doesn't mean polls are open until 8 o'clock in the Eastern time zone of Florida. So if you're in South Florida or Central Florida, your polls close at 7. It's in the panhandle that they close in 8 Eastern."

Read more about Election 2008 coverage here.

RELATED: Check Out HuffPo's Voting Problems Big News Page

Comments

[Freedum4all]

here's what i hate...when the call a state for someone with 0 percent of the vote in WTF!!

[Anne1776]

MSNBC wasn't the only one. CNN and even ABC News had Texas polls closing at 9 EST, which was incorrect. Polls is Texas closed at 8 EST and it has ALWAYS been that way in Texas. And all anyone had to do was confirm with the Secretary of State, who had it posted on her official website. Shame on the media for not confirming and misleading voters. I wonder how many people missed out on their chance to vote because they waited until the last minute, which was in fact, too late.

[compulady]

MSNBC is the only news I can watch consistently, CNN I can take for a little while, Fox is unbearable.
If someone was watching MSNBC to see when their Polls closed in the final hour, maybe that person just shouldn't vote.

[pmonski]

Looks like no one-not even media matters has it right. If the Florida Elections Commission Rules state that the polls are open from 7am-7pm local time, then it means that exactly, no matter what time zone you're in. So, if it's 6:59pm and you're in the CST part of the state and your polling place is in the EST portion, well, you've blown it, cause it's 7:59 EST where your polling place is and you're SOL.

[Hagar7]

At that point, any reasonable and sensible person who hadn't voted and was online trying to figure out exactly when their polls closed should have been visiting their local Board of Elections website, not www.msnbc.com. Anyone suggesting otherwise is a sleazy plaintiffs'/Republican lawyer, and no thanks to the HuffPo for even running this non-news piece.

[Chironomid]

I usually enjoy MSNBC, although I take what they say with a grain of salt sometimes (Fox viewers -- learn to do the same).

But their coverage tonight was unbearable. I soon flipped to CNN. The stupid "virtual reality" coliseum or whatever it was that they were announcing from, the way the let the state election returns come in with no insight into what counties, regions, demographics were constituting the numbers. Abysmal.

[ObamaRocks13]

Awesome Sarah Palin Spoof! Its a riot!
Check it out for yourself!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1exiyBYnJ00

[wantthetruth]

Media Matters claim they are dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media.
MSNBC is conservative now?

[Pulemerci]

PMSNBC is a joke. Matthews "I get a thrill up my leg" when he hears Obama speak is enough to make one sick. Act like a journalist of some sort Chris. Even if you aren't, act like one. Olberman acts as if he's one broken shoe -lace away from going postal. He's got to stay on those meds.

[Angelic11]

I don't get alllllll that! Where's this coming from?

[Gratitudinous]

Bravo!

[lilymarie14]

Ya - I don't share your sentiment. MSNBC has its issues - but Olberman expresses what a lot of us feel - just in a much more entertaining manner.

[StillAmused]

What's with Matthews' latest mantra, repeated since yesterday, that McCain HIMSELF hasn't run a negative campaign? Chris getting another tingling feeling up his leg, this time for the disgraceful McMaverick?

When Rachel Maddow referred to the implicit "wink and a nod" from McCain to all the 527 "swiftboat" attacks on Obama, Matthews jumped all over her.

Maybe, with all the competent new blood filling out the lineup, the unstable drooler sees his dog-eared career passing before his eyes.

[antaeus]

CNN has David Gergen and Jeffrey Toobin, anyway. I find Tweety and KO entertaining in a gaudy way, but I don't think I can hack a whole night of it.

[Mauimom]

Could someone please drag Chris Matthews off the set?

I've been watching MSNBC because of Keith & Rachel, but Matthews monopolizes everything. I hate him. He doesn't ask intelligent questions, just goes off on his weird tangents and in particular doesn't let Rachel speak.

Enough!!!!

[flydoghead]

I'll second that motion.

Chris talks alot but he doesn't say anything.

He should study Rachel's approach.

[RODERICK098]

He is probably the dumbest commentator on a major news channel I have seen. Lots of facts some of them misinformation put out by reight wing think(misnomer) tanks that he spews out as factor, That ridiculous Gomer Pyle grin that he uses matches his inteelect.

[BluebirdofUnhappiness]

UGH, what's that hid eous nuclear reactor core lookin graphic thing they are doing?

[stanjz]

The Coporate Media. Be angry America, the media has waged a propaganda campaign against you in the name of big business.

[igro]

Strange. Keith O's comment last night was bizarre. It was practicaly incomprehensible, but it showed and it could be heard that Obama was saying all the dumb things that McCain has been saying.

At the very last night before the election, it seems reckless at best to hope people can make sense out of his message. It could easily be misinterpreted that Obama was actually saying those things.

[RDSOregon]

I'm a Keith O. fan, but I wasn't thrilled with it for exactly the same reason. It's a great piece that would have been more appropriate later in the week regardless of the election outcome.

[hpjake]

It was totally clear to me. Let me explain. He was proving out the concept that the MSM protects Republicans almost regardless of how inane or disturbing McPalin comments are. They just "disappear" those blunders. However, they attack and prolong statements by Obama and Biden ad infinitum.

Obama has been near perfect. McCain/Palin have said Bozo the Clown types of things. In 2000, ALL the MSM agreed to not show the American audience Bush's blunders (verbal and logical), but they hounded Gore for saying that he was responsible for the internet, although he never said it. (But in fact he was key in some DARPA funding bills which DID invent the internet.

[Geranium]

I noticed you didn't mention "Champ" Biden. He was (and remains) The Gaffe King bar none. He said more stupid, untrue, oddball things, one after another, than all of the other three combined.

[flydoghead]

I agree, I usually like Keith, but last night he was so giddy over Ben Affleck's parody of him that he was making no sense what so ever.

I got the premise, I just think that it was a poorly executed bit.