Sinclair Announces Comprehensive Election Night Coverage
10.28.2026
The National News Desk Election Night Special to Feature Live Reporting from Key Battleground States, Real-Time Results and Analysis, and Coverage of Issues Driving Voters to the Polls
BALTIMORE – October 28, 2026 – Sinclair today announced plans for comprehensive Election Night coverage on Tuesday, November 3, combining national reporting from The National News Desk (TNND) with extensive local election coverage from Sinclair’s content centers across the country.
From 8 p.m. to midnight ET, The National News Desk Election Night Special will air across Sinclair’s CW and MyNetworkTV stations, delivering live results, analysis and on-the-ground reporting from communities at the center of some of the nation's most closely watched races. The National News Desk Election Night Special will also air live on YouTube.
Unlike traditional election coverage dominated by political panels and punditry, The National News Desk will focus on the races, results and issues that matter most to voters, drawing on Sinclair’s extensive network of local journalists to provide firsthand reporting and context from communities nationwide.
Dee Dee Gatton will anchor the four-hour special, leading coverage as results unfold across the country. Ryan Smith will deliver continuous updates from the Live Desk, tracking election results and the issues driving voters to the polls. Geoff Harris will provide real-time analysis of election data using TNND’s new interactive touchscreen technology, examining voting trends, tracking the balance of power in Congress and breaking down the paths to victory for Democrats and Republicans as they compete for control of the House and Senate. Taylor Murray will examine the growing national debate over data center development, an issue emerging on ballots and in election contests across multiple states.
A central component of the special will be live reporting from Sinclair journalists on the ground in Texas, Michigan, Ohio, Iowa, Maine, North Carolina, Florida and Kansas, providing firsthand perspectives on competitive races and the local issues shaping their outcomes.
Throughout the evening, TNND will also feature expert analysis on election-related issues, including insights from a former FEC commissioner on election integrity and the electoral process, along with political analysis from both parties.
“Election Night is fundamentally a local story, and Sinclair is uniquely positioned to bring viewers both the national picture and the reporting coming directly from communities across the country,” said Scott Livingston, Senior Vice President of News at Sinclair. “Our strength is the local journalists who know these communities, understand the issues driving voters and can tell those stories firsthand, focusing on the facts, rather than political punditry, giving viewers clear, meaningful coverage as the night unfolds.”
Election Night will mark the debut of TNND's new state-of-the-art video wall and interactive touchscreen. The technology will allow TNND’s journalists to explore results in real time, visualize voting patterns, track competitive races and provide viewers with a clearer understanding of how individual contests are shaping the national political landscape.
“Our journalists live and work in the communities they cover. They understand the issues that matter to voters, and have earned their trust,” said Valeria Riccioli, Director of Content for The National News Desk. ”TNND will go beyond the noise with substantive, on-the-ground reporting from the key states and races that will determine the balance of power. Our focus is on the people, the issues and the stories that matter to the communities we serve. That's the power of local journalism, and it's something other national networks simply can't replicate.”
Sinclair stations affiliated with ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC will continue to air their regularly scheduled network programming. Sinclair’s local newscasts on those stations will provide results and reporting on key local, state and national races throughout Election Night.
Since its launch in 2021, The National News Desk has expanded rapidly and now airs on 90 stations across the country, with morning, evening, late-night, weekend, afternoon and early evening newscasts. The National News Desk is also available free of charge at TheNationalDesk.com, with no subscription, login or authentication required and is available live and on demand on YouTube.
About Sinclair
Sinclair, Inc. (Nasdaq: SBGI) is a diversified media company and a leading provider of local news and sports. The Company owns, operates and/or provides services to 181 television stations in 79 markets affiliated with all major broadcast networks; owns Tennis Channel, the premium destination for tennis enthusiasts; and multicast networks CHARGE, Comet, ROAR, and The Nest. Sinclair's content portfolio includes AMP Media, which produces a growing slate of original programming across multiple platforms. For more information, please visit www.sbgi.net.
Media Contact: Jessica Bellucci | [email protected]