How New York Times Tracks Election Issues and Verifies Tips Nationwide

A nationwide reporting effort

The Times brought together a large team of reporters, each assigned to monitor election issues in a state. Reporters built contacts with election officials, major cities, state parties and campaigns. The goal was to investigate irregularities quickly and share verified information with readers, said Amy Gardner, an editor helping lead the operation.

Tips from polling places

Journalists sent updates to a Slack channel called #Votewatch, which collected reports from polling sites across the country. The channel was designed to flag potential election integrity concerns and operational disruptions for further reporting.

Examples included voting glitches in Westchester County, N.Y., and difficult travel through mud to reach polling places in the Navajo Nation. The channel also received reports of broken ballot machines, long lines and conspiracy theories.

Separating fact from rumor

Monica Davey said the work was intended to help readers understand what was actually happening at polling places. She pointed to public questions about past elections, current events, rumors and possible effects on outcomes.

Davey said reporters needed to investigate directly to establish what was real. The report also noted that the operation was the Times’ most extensive Vote Watch effort to date.