The New York Times has 5 different election needles for the midterms

(Image credit: The New York Times)

published 6 November 2018

Remember this?

Well, the dreaded New York Times election needle is back with a vengeance in 2018 — the Gray Lady has rolled out five (FIVE!) different dials to strike fear in the hearts of readers on Tuesday night. "One needle will show our confidence that Democrats or Republicans will control the House of Representatives," the Times explains. "Another will show the range of seats that each party could plausibly hold, while a third will show our estimate of the final national popular vote. We'll also have needles showing our confidence that Democrats or Republicans will control the Senate and the likeliest numbers of seats for each party in that chamber."

The needles will go live likely around 7:30 or 8 p.m. ET, after results come in for key races in Kentucky, Indiana, and Virginia. If you've never experienced the dread of watching the needle swing perilously back and forth between parties, well, knock yourself out: The Senate needles are here, and the House needles are here.

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For those still overcoming 2016 PTSD, a separate, censored needle for you exists below. Jeva Lange

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.