About the Crystal Ball

A comprehensive Web site run by the University of Virginia's Center for Politics, Center Director Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball features detailed and frequently updated analyses for a wide spectrum of races from around the country. The Crystal Ball keeps tabs on presidential elections, along with every Senate and gubernatorial race, as well as the tightest campaigns for the House.

The Crystal Ball has been a leader in accurately predicting elections since its inception. In 2004, the Crystal Ball notched a 99 percent accuracy rate in predicting all races for House, Senate, Governor and each state's Electoral College outcome. In 2006 the Pew Research Center and the Pew Charitable Trusts' Project for Excellence in Journalism recognized the Crystal Ball as the leader in the field of political predictors, noting that the site "came closer than any other of the top ten potential predictors this cycle."

2008 was yet another banner year, as the Crystal Ball came the closest of any national prognosticator in predicting the results of the presidential race, while achieving a 100 percent accuracy rating by correctly predicting the result of every single gubernatorial and Senate race across the country.

The Crystal Ball has already kicked into high gear for the already exciting 2010 election season. Keep visiting us for the latest news and analyses and subscribe to the weekly Crystal Ball e-mail updates.

The Crystal Ball is a free public service meant to appeal to political junkies and interested voters alike. All content herein may be used by educators, press and others with proper attribution. Contact us with any questions.

Praise for the Crystal Ball

Fred Barnes, Beltway Boys (Fox News Channel) - "[Larry Sabato's] political website called the Crystal Ball is a must-stop site on the web for all the latest political news and predictions."

Ed Chen, Los Angeles Times - "Sabato's Crystal Ball was an indispensable tool and a delight as well. It added joy and fun to the task of tracking political developments around the country."

Carl Cameron, Fox News - "Indispensable! Like the pen and pad or lap top, Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball is now essential equipment for the traveling political reporter. Whether it's latest developments or historical perspective...nobody "gets it" better."

Will Vehrs, Punditwatch (punditwatch.blogspot.com) - "Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball was the gold standard for political junkies in 2002. If you wanted to predict the election results on more than just gut feelings, you were checking the Crystal Ball every week."

Brit Hume, Special Report with Brit Hume (Fox News Channel) - "How can a political science professor create a website with election analysis and have people take it seriously as a source of political knowledge? The answer: When the professor is Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia, whose Crystal Ball predictions page at the University Center for Politics website has become a must-read for political junkies."

Who is the Crystal Ball?

Larry J. Sabato, Director

Isaac Wood, Editor

Rhodes Cook, Senior Columnist

Paul Wiley, Staff Writer

Crystal Ball Interns, Summer 2009

Dan Boyle, Will Cooper and Topher Lancaster

Previous Crystal Ball Interns

Dan Boyle, Lisa Keller, Tyler Matuella and Sarah Sullivan, Student Staff (Spring '09)

Bobby Dressel, Prashanth Parameswaran, Bayless Sword and Kate Vasiloff, Student Staff (Fall '08)

Thomas Gaunt, Charlotte Persant and Geoff Skelley, Student Staff (Summer '08)

Anne Harris, Ross Lawrence, Prashanth Parameswaran, Charlotte Persant, Bayless Sword and Matt Zaccarino, Student Staff (Spring '08)

Joseph Baber, S.W. Dawson, Bobby Dressel, Ben Smoot and Ezekiel Tan, Student Staff (Fall '07)

Brandon Gould, Julie Hatchett, Sarah Qureshi and Paul Wiley, Student Staff (Summer '07)

Anne Harris, James Noel III, Michael Rocks, Clare Seekins, Catherine Tobin and Alex Wong, Student Staff (Spring '07)

Alexander Covington, Erin Levin, Meredith Ramsey, Brenan Richards and Clare Seekins, Student Staff (Fall '06)

Bobby Dressel, Becca McCurdy, Shana McGirl, Evan Pols, Tanya Otsuka, and Jean-Paul Theroux, Student Staff (Summer '06)

Lindsey Barnes III, Margot Bolon, Danny Eaton, Christina Heischmidt, Danielle Holley and Dan Herrmann, Student Staff (Spring '06)

Doug Black, Robin Cook, Brendan Fitzgerald, Jordan Forbes, Berkley Gordon and Anthony LaMesa, Student Staff (Fall '05)

Robin Cook, Ben Doernberg, Anna Payne and Evan Pols, Student Staff (Summer '05)

Berkley Gordon, Dan Keyserling, Jon Pawlow, P.J. Podesta, Sehrish Shaban, Zach Williams and Chris Wrobel, Student Staff (Spring '05)

Abigail Gardner, John Lewis, Yolanda Muchnik, Kathleen Oare, Jon Pawlow, Nathan Royster, Mark Tessier Jr and David Wasserman, Student Staff (Fall '04)