As precincts from across Pennsylvania begin reporting results tonight after polls close at 8 p.m., all eyes will be on the Associated Press to call the state’s gubernatorial race. That means they’ll be waiting on word from Sally Carpenter Hale.

The Chief of Bureau for Pennsylvania and New Jersey will call the races in PA tonight, but Hale said — especially for the top of the ticket races — it’s “truly a team effort.”

And while it’s technically up to her, Hale told Billy Penn via email that she’ll be in close consultation with AP’s team of analysts in Washington, D.C., as well as Pennsylvania and New Jersey News Editor Larry Rosenthal , in addition to the reporter covering each race — all before a decision is made. For each of the legislative races, Hale said, she works with the reporter and local staffers assigned to analyze the votes.

Hale has been calling races for the AP since 2000, first in New Jersey and in Pennsylvania beginning in 2003. She said she’s proud of its track record, noting that in 2012, the AP called 5,000 races nationwide with 99.9 percent accuracy.

Need more details? This Q&A details how and when the AP calls races.