The Electoral College: How America picks its president
The U.S. has a winner-take-all electors patchwork of presidential voting systems, culminating with the Electoral College. Here’s how the process works.
Elections
Tip sheets, explainers and research roundups to inform coverage of elections
Expert Commentary
Election Beat 2020: Where did all the swing voters go?
Today’s presidential nominees need not only convince voters that they’re the better choice but also that their party is an acceptable choice, writes Thomas E. Patterson.
Expert Commentary
Election Beat 2020: The real and false risks of mail-in voting
“If states were to greatly expand their mail-balloting option, risks will remain, though the risks do not include some of the possibilities that have attracted substantial news coverage,” writes Thomas E. Patterson.
Expert Commentary
Election Beat 2020: The other problem with journalists’ use of polls
As in their coverage of the 1948 presidential election, journalists still tend to build their narratives and candidate images around poll results.
Expert Commentary
How health affects voter turnout: A research roundup
People with chronic illnesses, mental health concerns, disabilities and the seasonal flu are less likely to vote.
Expert Commentary
Door-to-door canvassing campaigns can sway voter decisions
Door-to-door canvassing campaigns actually work to persuade voters and sway national election outcomes – even when they don’t encourage more people to show up to the polls.
Expert Commentary
Civic engagement declines when local newspapers shut down
Studies show that areas with fewer local news outlets have lower levels of civic engagement, voter turnout and political accountability.
Expert Commentary
Homicide in Brazil: What journalists should know
An overview of violence in Brazil to help international political reporters who are covering the October elections
Expert Commentary
Google Street View can predict voting patterns and race
Google’s “Street View” photographs can be used to predict if a town will vote Democrat or Republican. They can also be used to estimate a neighborhood’s racial fabric.
Expert Commentary
Get out the vote: Understanding ranked-choice elections
An explainer on proportional representation, with a focus on ranked-choice voting.
Expert Commentary