Free and Subsidized Services to Help Publishers Cover Federal, State, and Local Elections This Fall

This fall, voters heading to the polls will face numerous decisions, collectively electing more than 100,000 officials and determining the outcomes of many ballot initiatives. While national races dominate the headlines, local news organizations are often the only reliable, nonpartisan source for the vast majority of races.

Recognizing this critical role, we are excited to announce the launch of the Knight Election Hub. This new initiative aims to support local publishers in three key ways: enabling voters to make informed decisions across all ballot levels, building confidence in the election process and its results, and highlighting the essential role of local publishers in providing quality information.

The Knight Election Hub offers a comprehensive collection of resources tailored to the diverse needs of U.S. newsrooms covering the 2024 elections. We have heard from publishers and know there is a strong demand for assistance in more than a dozen areas. From compiling and publishing election guides to protecting staff from digital and physical threats and reaching new audiences through innovative marketing tools, the needs are vast and varied.

To address these needs, the Election Hub will provide both free and subsidized services. We are launching with more than 100 resources, including eight paid services funded by the Knight Election Integrity Fund. For example, Sunlight Search will train journalists to conduct in-depth investigations on candidates, while OpenSecrets will help track the funding behind candidates and causes. Eligible publishers can apply on a rolling basis to access these services, ensuring that funding is directed where it is most needed.

One of the primary goals of the Election Hub is to lower the barriers to accessing these valuable resources. By raising awareness about the available tools and making them financially accessible to smaller organizations, we hope to empower local newsrooms to better serve their communities. As new challenges emerge, such as the potential spread of deepfakes, we will continue to expand our offerings to meet these evolving needs.

The rapid development of this initiative over the past eight weeks has been driven by Scott Klein, who’s working as an entrepreneur-in-residence at Newspack, focused on elections and funded by Knight. Supported by a dedicated team from OpenNews, MuckRock, and Hearken, Scott has worked tirelessly to bring this vision to life. This team will continue to refine and expand the service through November.

The launch of the Knight Election Hub is just one part of our broader plan to support election coverage. Stay tuned for more announcements in the coming weeks as we continue to roll out additional initiatives aimed at strengthening the integrity and quality of election reporting across the country.

If you have questions, please email: [email protected].