The 2022 midterm elections marks the first time the newly redrawn voting districts based on the 2020 census data will be applied across the country. So besides a refresher on the complexities of the federal election rules and local states’ and counties’ voting processes, ethnic media journalists could definitely use a clear picture of the new voting district maps in their areas.
Your eyes are fine
No need to rub your eyes or clean your glasses. Due to politics and different redistricting processes, many new voting district maps have strange, odd shapes. FiveThirtyEight, an online data site, has produced an interactive presentation of all new congressional districts in every state with a breakdown analysis of political parties’ leaning and in-play seats in the 2022 midterm elections.
For local elections, journalists should research each state as voting maps for state, county, and city elections are different from federal congressional districts. For example, in California, journalists can visit We Draw The Line CA, a website that provides all the finalized district maps created by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission.
The ABC of the US election system
As the world’s most powerful country, major US elections’ outcomes tend to have reverberating impacts everywhere beyond America’s borders. Designed for international journalists, the US State Department’s Foreign Press Center has created the 2022 US Midterm Elections Virtual Briefings with experts who share insights about America’s electoral process and unique features that ethnic media journalists would appreciate as their audiences include multiculturally minded folks.
What is “ballot harvesting” in Haitian Creole?
American election terminologies and concepts can be complicated even for English speakers or they don’t mean the same in different languages. Luckily, the bi-partisan federal agency US Election Assistance Commission has published a Glossary of Election Terminology of nearly 1,300 terms and phrases in many languages from Arabic to Haitian Creole, Hindi, Navajo, and Vietnamese. Very helpful for journalists producing content in different languages. While here, don’t forget to browse the website as it contains a treasure trove of election information.
America’s diversity
Pew Research Center has a special section on Race & Ethnicity where journalists can find useful demographic data and analysis of Asians, Blacks, Hispanics, Whites, and other ethnic groups. Great information for background, context, and comparison between different groups of voters.
Election coverage safety
As election seasons in the US have become more contentious, violence could occur amid protests and demonstrations on voting day at certain locations. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press has published a valuable Election Legal Guide to help prepare all journalists with a knowledge of their legal rights plus tips on the do’s and don’ts on election day to ensure their successful coverage and safety.
Want more?
You got it. The Brennan Center for Justice, a nonprofit law and public institute within NYU Law School, also has a terrific list of resources to help journalists cover the 2022 midterm elections. LatinX journalists can access the Spanish version here.
