Elections are over, and you breathe a sigh of relief. The exhaustive campaign season has concluded, and newsrooms can return to some level of normalcy.
Not so fast. The most substantive aspect of election coverage may loom. Your pages have been filled with campaign promises detailed in stories, letters to the editor, and ads. The next logical step: Are the winners keeping their promises?
In that regard, mark April 1. It’s common to rate the president’s first 100 days in office. Why not do the same for other elected officials? Yes, it’s unreasonable to expect a great deal of policy-making in the first three months, but it’s an opportunity to get a flavor of lawmakers’ priorities and participation.
The lack of civility in politics prompts many to bemoan the 24/7/365 election cycle. The hyper partisanship unfortunately has permeated into local races. At the same time, this is an excellent reminder that election coverage cannot simply be turned on and turned off during campaign season. Benchmarking is likely easiest, and most relevant to readers, by focusing on local elected officials.
Continuing coverage, if thoughtfully planned, goes a long way toward holding elected officials accountable. It also can enrich coverage of local public affairs, providing substantive content beyond blow-by-blow meeting reports.
Several angles can be pursued once newly elected bodies take shape. For example:
- Candidates emerge victorious propelled by a platform of what they represent and promise to accomplish. Prepare periodic scorecards of their performance.
- A new year often is accompanied by a new agenda – “state of the state” speeches by the mayor, county board chair or school board presidents. Detail their objectives and track progress, periodically generating stories and, where appropriate, editorial commentary.
- Elections can produce new voting blocs and changes in governing dynamics. That may be easily noticed when individuals run on a party label. It’s less evident in nonpartisan contests. Reporters who regularly cover these bodies are in an excellent position to analyze the changes and preview what might be in store.
This year’s acrimonious presidential election offers a more immediate opportunity for examination. Party-line voting is common among many voters, leading at the top of the ticket. Did that pattern hold sway this year?
Track the local voting percentages for the presidential nominees compared to other partisan races. Research the same percentages for the presidential election four years ago. Did margins remain static or were there significant changes? Any surprises in either regard?
Create a nice, easy-to-read graphic with the figures. Then connect with local party leaders or elder statesmen to interpret the patterns. Consider maybe a retired public official, an incumbent who chose not to seek re-election, or a political science professor at an area university.
Are you short on newsroom resources or simply exhausted from writing election stories? Explore point/counterpoint columns for the editorial page. You provide the theme, and others generate the content. Publish the commentaries side-by-side with their photos. Produce a nice graphic restating the final vote totals and maybe additional breakdown such as contrasting urban/rural districts – whatever might be appropriate.
A deeper review of what the voters said doesn’t have to be all rolled into the next day’s edition. Follow-up stories are excellent content for your newspaper in succeeding days and weeks and help readers know what the election results really mean.
Newsrooms should put as much effort into post-election reports as in ongoing campaign coverage. Both your newspaper and community will benefit.
Join us for a networking event and a relaxing evening to unwind after last week’s election! The Boston Association of Black Journalists, the New England chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association, and the New England chapter of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists are joining forces with the New England Society of News Editors to host an after-work gathering.
As the next generation of journalists prepares to make their mark, the Journalism Education Foundation of New England (JEFNE) offers aspiring reporters a chance to jumpstart their careers. The foundation has announced the opening of applications for its 2025 scholarship program, including the MacGregor Fiske Award.
The Advertising/Circulation/Promotion division of the Better Newspaper Competition consists of 32 competitive categories, and we want you to flaunt your best ideas for everyone to see. We are encouraging innovative and creative members to 
The State of Local News 2024 report produced by the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University highlights the ongoing crisis in local news across the United States. Despite some positive developments, the overall trend remains concerning, with an average of two newspapers closing each week.
Nicholas Daniloff passed away last week at an assisted living facility in Cambridge. He was 89.
The annual Better Newspaper Contest is back, providing a fantastic opportunity for journalists, photographers, editors, and publications to showcase their best work from the past year. Whether you’re a seasoned NENPA member or 
Two hundred and five small local news outlets, one in every U.S. state, including 18 in New England will receive a share of $20 million to close persistent coverage gaps in their communities, thanks to funding from 
This is a call for nominations for the prestigious Yankee Quill Award. For more than 60 years the New England Academy of Journalists has been honoring our region’s most extraordinary journalists for their contributions to a free press and their efforts to improve the communities they serve with the Yankee Quill Award.