The Election SOS newsletter is a dedicated resource for journalists covering the 2020 election and its aftermath. We provide critical resources to help with your coverage, safety and service.
Politics and public health: How lessons from the 2020 election can prepare journalists for what’s coming
We are taking time to reflect! Journalists, editors and community leaders will come together to discuss what we got right and where we fell short when covering the 2020 election. Join us next week for key takeaways and advice on how to apply those lessons in 2021 when covering the new administration, the coronavirus and vaccines.
Who is coming? This is a joint initiative among American Press Institute, Election SOS, First Draft, Hearken, PEN America, Protect Democracy and Trusting News. Representatives from each organization will lead breakout room discussions, including topics like:
Explaining democracy: Making government and civic processes accessible in reporting
Anticipating repeat mis- and disinformation narratives for 2021
Engagement journalism for elections and beyond
Bringing journalists & communities together to fight distrust & misinformation
Covering democracy beyond the partisan lens
Re-engaging the right: Journalism that is relevant for and trusted by conservative audiences
Today was the last day to register to vote in the Georgia Senate runoff. We've gathered critical resources and experts to support your coverage in the coming month.
One day this election process will be over, but for now, there is still work to be done. To help newsrooms stay organized throughout a busy month, the ElectionSOS team has put together a list of relevant topics and potential stories to cover this December. Explore top December pitches, including stories about Georgia, Biden's agenda, Trump and election results, and more.
Our Trusted Election Expert Network contains relevant and vetted pros with state and national election expertise. Tip: We got lots of Georgia experts too.
Until this year, the transfer of power from one U.S. president to another had been a relatively smooth process, with some exceptions. Barbara Perry, an author of books like 42: Inside the Presidency of Bill Clinton and 41: Inside the Presidency of George H.W. Bush, provides pointers on how journalists can bolster their coverage of this presidential transition.
Tomorrow, leading White House correspondents will discuss how the beat will change under the Biden administration. Will it usher a more controlled, more polite – but equally antagonistic – relationship? Register for this briefing on Dec. 8 at 1 p.m. EST.
Two months provide plenty of time to stir up chaos. The GOP and Trump are hard at work on measures they wish to roll out before January 20th. Read our roundup on what GOP and the Trump administration have planned in key areas, like immigration, economy, foreign affairs, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Black voters, especially women, are essential to victory. Of the 160 million people who voted in the recent presidential election, exit polls show nearly 50 percent of registered Black women voters cast ballots. Black women have long galvanized their networks and communities around voting. In Georgia, there are numerous Black women organizing on the ground. National legal organizations are active, too. “Georgians have the opportunity to make history once again,” (Stacey) Abrams said in a statement. “We are committed to giving them the tools and resources they need to ensure they can make their voices heard at the ballot box.”
Georgia is a state where the 2020 elections haven't ended yet, but the 2024 presidential race may already be underway. Republicans with an eye on the White House in four years are hitting the trail on behalf of the two Republican senators trying to save their seats in runoff elections, David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler. Since control of the U.S. Senate is on the line in Georgia, it's the biggest political stage for candidates who want visibility and to make some new influential friends in a newly minted swing state, all of which may come in handy for an eventual run at the GOP presidential nomination.
In the November 2020 election, democracy, improbably, worked in Georgia. The state saw its highest turnout in 40 years. Now, two years of determined organizing against voter suppression created the conditions for Joe Biden to carry the state by just under 12,000 votes, making him the first Democratic presidential candidate in 28 years to win Georgia. ... That electorate—along with the organizing that spurred it—is now giving Democrats hope that Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff can win runoff elections for the U.S. Senate on January 5, races that would have seemed almost un-winnable in past years.
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.
Elections are not over. We'd love to know what support you are looking for from us in the coming months? Please use our suggestion box to let us know what tools, information and resources you need. You can also email us at info@electionsos.org.
Election Relief
A little extra cheer to brighten up your Monday!
This man's 11-year-old daughter had a bad day at school, so check out what her dad discovered when she got home to unwind.
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