After a seemingly never-ending election cycle, the time has finally come and election night is upon us! I don’t know what you normally watch on Tuesday nights, but this Tuesday will be filled with coverage about the polls and how people have voted. The process will last all day until a new President elect has been named. Whether you’re voting for Clinton, Trump, or a third party, this is one night you won’t want to miss.
If you have already cut the cord, you should have an HDTV antenna. If you don’t, you definitely need a good antenna as that will make watching TV a much easier and affordable experience. On November 8, every news channel will be airing non-stop network coverage. If you can’t wait to find out the results of the evening, there are plenty of TV shows you can watch for the entire day.
Here are your best options for watching Election Night coverage without cable:
Local Channels: If you have an HDTV antenna it’s as simple as turning on ABC, CBS, FOX, or NBC. They will all be offering live network coverage for much of the day. The best part of watching TV with an HD antenna is that it’s free, over-the-air. Once you buy an antenna there isn’t any additional charges. If you want to watch coverage later, you can even purchase a DVR to tape content and watch it when you have the time.
CBS All Access: CBS All Access allows you to watch CBS coverage online. If you want to watch online and prefer CBS to other networks, this is a good option. You’ll want to make sure that you’re able to access live coverage before signing up. Currently, about 80% of the country has live stream access, so most people will be covered. The service is less than $10 a month, and you get a free trial, which is perfect for Election Night coverage.
Sling TV: If you’re looking for a cable experience that you can take with you when you leave the house, Sling TV is a pretty good option. Coverage starts at $20 a month with 25 channels. In this package you have access to CNN. If you bump up to the $25 package you’ll have MSNBC, as well. Sling TV also allows you to add channels, so if there is a news channel you prefer you may be able to add it.. Sling TV also offers a 7-day free trial.
PlayStation Vue: If you want a cable-like experience that works primarily in your home, Vue might be what you’re looking for. It costs more than Sling TV, but you also get more channels. Depending on your location, you could possibly get local live stream channels along with CNN, MSNBC, FOX News, and other channels. The benefit here is that you really can take your pick of the news networks you’d prefer to watch. Like the other options, you can watch Election Night with the Vue free trial.
Social Media: For many recent big events, you can find many live streams on social media. Twitter will stream BuzzFeed’s election coverage, while Facebook will stream coverage from many different outlets like ABC News and PBS. Despite users expressing they want less news coverage in their feeds, these social media live streams continue to be successful.
These are the best options for watching election night coverage without cable. As you can see, while there are plenty of streaming options, with a good HDTV antenna you can easily watch a number of local and network stations at home, for free. If you go with a streaming option, make sure you have fast internet to handle the load.
In the end, it will all depend on what channel you prefer to watch when a new President is named. Just make sure if you’re not utilizing your antenna to take advantage of free trials so you don’t have to pay unless you plan to keep the streaming service you use!
Chris Brantner is the founder of CutCableToday.com, a resource for people who want to cut the cord and still get the TV they crave. Follow him on Twitter @CutCableToday.