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The mission of The 19th is to empower women and LGBTQ+ people — particularly those from underrepresented communities — with the information, resources and tools they need to be equal participants in our democracy.
Ahead of a consequential election, our newsroom is making a renewed commitment to writing about voting rights and the people who make our democracy function. The work of achieving true representative democracy is unfinished business — a theme our newsroom will prioritize as we center who gets to participate in our democracy and who doesn’t.
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You can expect to find voting rights reporting on our website, in our newsletters, through our publishing partners, and reflected in Editor-at-Large Errin Haines’ podcast, The Amendment, as well as on our social media.
This work is part of The 19th’s participation in the Advancing Democracy Fellowship, a multi-newsroom initiative to rethink elections coverage and shift it toward more solutions-based reporting that builds trust, especially within communities that have been marginalized.
FAQs
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What will our voting rights coverage focus on?
We’re an independent newsroom, not interested in cheerleading or cheap shots, opinions or false equivalency. Our coverage priorities will include reporting and information on:
- How potential voters can access the ballot
- How politicians and courts are trying to make voting easier or harder for people
- Other barriers to the ballot, particularly for marginalized communities. That includes individuals with disabilities, trans people and formerly incarcerated people
- The potential impact of people spreading lies about elections, other forms of disinformation and threats of political violence
- Democracy defenders — whether they’re in courtrooms, election administration offices or communities across the country — who work to uphold voting access
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Why should readers care about voting rights?
Inclusive access to the ballot determines the fate of the issues you care about and encourages a healthy democracy. If you’re able to vote, you’re able to support candidates who align with your values.
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Why is voting rights coverage so important at The 19th?
The 19th is named after The 19th Amendment — an amendment that stated that women have the right to vote. While that amendment was critical for expanding our democracy, for decades it was mostly only White women who could exercise that right. It took legislation like the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Civil Rights Act of 1968 and lawsuits for Black women and other women of color to be able to fully participate. It’s a fact that we acknowledge in our logo, with an asterisk as a visible reminder of those who have been omitted from our democracy.
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Who covers voting rights at The 19th?
We have a roughly six-member politics team that writes about voting as part of broader elections coverage. The 19th has a reporting staff of about 15 people, and they may also write about voting rights or collaborate on coverage.
Feedback
Our mission statement on voting rights is rooted in our commitment to reporting fully on democracy this election cycle. And The 19th wants to center voters in this coverage. We can’t do that without hearing from you, our readers.
So email us! Tell us what your voting experience is in the lead up to November. What do voting rights mean to you? How is your community helping folks access the ballot this year? We want to hear about it.
