2016 Election Night

Bellwether counties show us the election in microcosm. By mirroring at a local level what’s going on nationally, they offer a more human look at the political trends roiling the country. “The New Bellwethers” is a series by FiveThirtyEight senior political writer Clare Malone that examines a few select counties in key states where Clinton and Trump are polling very close to how they are in the U.S. overall (according to Morning Consult polling data collected from August through early October). Our first stop? Gaston County, North Carolina. To read Clare’s article on Gaston, click here.