The Election SOS newsletter is a dedicated resource for journalists covering the 2020 election. Here, we update you on our upcoming programming, share our favorite election-related stories, and provide critical resources to help with your coverage as we move closer to November.
Too Much Information!
With five days left until November 3, you are likely overwhelmed with an avalanche of information. And that's where we come in. We sifted through it all to create ashort guide with top resources and tools to help you get through the week.
Newsrooms: Prepare For The Election To Go Off The Rails by Jennifer Brandel
If you’re covering the US elections and you haven’t prepared for it to go utterly off the rails, then you’re not ready. Are we being alarmist?
Why listen to me or Hearken on this? Because we’ve been working since May to listen to and connect with civic and election officials and experts, and to package their insights to support newsrooms in this absurdly difficult time.
Are you looking to protect yourself from trolls and other bad actors online? Did you miss our digital safety webinar with PEN America's Viktorya Vilk? If you answered yes, don't worry! We've created a short Digital Safety 101 checklist. Take some time this week to strengthen your digital security.
Our pitch database is here to provide you with fresh story ideas every day! Spread the word and bookmark the page to always have great audience-first ideas at your editorial meetings.
A poll released Monday by Harvard University's Institute of Politics surveyed 18- to 29-year-olds and found that 63% said they would “definitely” vote in the election, which is the highest proportion of respondents in the 20 years that the poll of young voters has been conducted. … The groundswell of early voting among young people is visible in a number of the key states that both parties are targeting in this campaign.
Over the years, Americans have gotten used to their election nights coming off like a well-produced game show, with the big reveal coming before bedtime (a few exceptions like the 2000 election notwithstanding). In truth, they’ve never been quite as simple or straightforward as they appeared. And this year, which has already upended so much of what Americans took for granted, seems poised to expose some of the wheezy 18th- and 19th-century mechanisms that still shape the way a president is elected in the 21st century. … Here’s a guide to what happens after the polls close on election night.
November 3 will see huge turnout -- including voters who show up because their states have not sufficiently loosened policies to accommodate the pandemic, because voting by absentee or by mail proved impractical or simply because they forgot to do so earlier. But some polls now indicate that less than half of voters plan to cast their ballots on Election Day itself. … It’s time to retire the term “Election Day” and replace it with a far more clear and more accurate term.
Free Press just launched a journalism database to help reporters keep communities safe and informed in the volatile weeks ahead. This database features 100+ resources, including Election SOS, INN, ProPublica, PEN America, Trusting News, and more.
How does trauma impact journalists? If you missed our workshop with Heath Druzin, Boise State Public Radio’s Guns & America reporter, and Lori A. Zoellner, Ph.D., a Director of the University of Washington Center for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress, you can watch it now. Learn how to protect yourself as a reporter.
Common Cause‘s Sylvia Albert and Jesse Littlewood give ElectionSOS an overview of the latest tactics of voter suppression and how to cover them responsibly. Watch the full webinar, or skim the key takeaways.
Election SOS Fellows Reporting Highlights:
Thanks to generous support from our funders, we've matched 39 fellows to support 20 newsrooms in battleground states. Check out the great work they're doing.
Here is a little something that is NOT election related to brighten up your Thursday! We added an extra couple of links, because we have a feeling you might need it.
How do you open an umbrella?These guys will show you you’re not doing it right.
We voted. It’s official: this is the new way to sing the ABCs. We don’t make the rules. We just enforce them.
For Halloween, it’s usually about candy and treats. But if you need any meal ideas, watch this.
Don’t forget this weekend is Daylight Saving Time! Set your clocks back one hour (yes, all before election night. We know, it’s terrible timing).
Election SOS Switchboard
Do you want to connect with other journalists covering elections to get tips, ideas, and share your insights? Then take 2 minutes right now and sign up for theElection SOS Switchboard. Did we mention that Hearken Consulting Team is also available to answer your questions?
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