Recommendations for Media Covering the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election

When covering elections at a time when their legitimacy is being undermined, journalists need to follow these crucial steps

As we count down to Election Day in the U.S., November 3, 2020, we find ourselves at a dangerous moment for democracy. As scholarly experts in politics and media, we draw on research from our field to offer practical, nonpartisan, evidence-based recommendations to journalists covering the 2020 U.S. presidential election. We hope these recommendations—based on decades of research into electoral processes, news coverage, and public opinion—support the important work journalists are doing to cover the election and safeguard democracy. We recommend journalists:

• Deny a platform to anyone making unfounded claims
• Put voters and election administrators at the center of elections
• Balance WHO as well as what gets covered
• Make quality coverage more widely accessible to expand publics for news
• Publicize your plans to call the election and do not make premature declarations
• Develop and use state- and local-level expertise to provide locally-relevant information
• Distinguish between legitimate, evidence-based challenges to vote counts and illegitimate ones that are intended to delay or call into question accepted procedures
• In the event of a contested or unclear outcome, don’t use social media to fill gaps in institutionally credible and reliable election information
• Cover an uncertain or contested election through a “democracy-worthy” frame
• Recognize that technology platforms have an important role to play
• Embrace existing democratic institutions
• Help Americans understand the roots of unrest
• Uphold democratic norms
• Use clear definitions for actions and actors and provide coverage appropriate to those definitions
• Do not give a platform to individuals or groups who call for violence, spread disinformation, or foment racist ideas.