Election 2020: “What if?” workshop

The November elections will be among the most consequential presidential contests in living memory, while also posing myriad challenges to voters seeking to cast a ballot. Now more than ever, reporters are feeling a civic imperative to produce timely, nuanced watchdog journalism so that the American public is equipped with the information it needs to press for a free and fair voting process and vote tabulation.

But how do you prepare for the unpredictable? Join the National Press Club Journalism Institute’s “What if” workshop, which will bring journalists together with experts to generate unanswered questions and unanticipated scenarios that can guide coverage. 

Registration is now open for the free workshop, which will be held Thursday, Sept. 3 from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Following opening remarks by FEC commissioner Ellen Weintraub, participants will join small breakout groups on one of four topics:

• Voter suppression, polling access and Election Day pandemonium led by Sylvia Albert, director of voting and elections at Common Cause
• Mail-in ballots and US Postal Service readiness led by David Becker, executive director and founder of the Center for Election Innovation & Research 
• Foreign interference, led by Maria Barsallo Lynch, executive director of the Defending Digital Democracy Project
• Contested election results, led by Rick Hasen, Chancellor’s Professor of Law and Political Science at the University of California at Irvine

Following the breakout discussions, participants will reconvene to learn about story ideas and reporting tips generated by each group. 

Spots are limited for this program to ensure its hands-on value. During registration, participants can indicate their first choice for a breakout group, and we will do our best to accommodate requests. Once we fill available spots, any other registrants will go on a waiting list. You will receive a Zoom link if you get a spot in the program, and we will notify you if you are on the waiting list.

About NPCJI’s programs:

The National Press Club Journalism Institute has added weekly programming, a daily newsletter, a daily writing group, and other support for journalists since March, and has waived fees for everything due to the COVID-19 pandemic at a savings of more than $52,000 to participants like you. If you value what you’ve been learning from the Institute during this time, please consider a donation of $5, $10, or whatever you can contribute.