This alternative method that centers voters and community members in the midst of campaign messaging: The citizens agenda. The heart of the project is to let voters decide what an election is about, rather than allowing candidates, pundits, and journalists to make those decisions.
In the lead up to the consequential elections in 2024, my small newsroom decided to pilot the project in our 2023 municipal elections. And my experience as the project manager, data reporter, and writer for this citizens agenda was transformative.
At the start of this year’s primary election season, journalists are looking for solutions to covering elections in a meaningful, useful way. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the process step-by-step, and share my lessons learned and the limitations to the approach. There was plenty that went right, and a lot we can do better the next time around.
Read more: https://www.cislm.org/news-you-can-use-inside-whqrs-people-powered-elections-coverage/