Eric here again, and I'm not absolutely certain where I'm going with that metaphor.

How about this: The folks who are informing and empowering us have had an impressive three quarters, but there's still a lot of work to do — particularly in helping voters stay informed in a shifting landscape, and exercise their rights.
 

I sat in Tuesday on a useful PEN America webinar on what Black voters in North Carolina can expect during this election season — including misinformation and voter suppression. The panelists' best practices to serve those voters may sound familiar, but they bear repeating: Be accurate, transparent, flexible (the news cycle seems more mercurial every day), and open to the community.

➡️ Afrique Kilimanjaro, managing editor and publisher of the Carolina Peacemaker in Greensboro, emphasized that newsgathering has changed dramatically just this year — and that it's crucial to build trust by making sure readers know that a story is evolving, and that they shouldn't bank on the first thing they hear. (One example of a changing story that's of great voter interest is the ongoing legal drama over procedures with absentee ballots.) 

➡️ Michael Hewlett, legal affairs reporter for the Winston-Salem Journal, echoed her, saying it's important to tell readers not just what you know, but what you don't yet know. "Always more reporting," he added. "Always more reporting. Don't be too quick to be first."

➡️ Katrina Louis, managing editor of QCity Metro in Charlotte, talked about ways to combat misinformation — including bringing trusted community voices into the reporting, and always supplying the context behind a bit of information, whether it's a viral clip or a government body's decision.

The panelists agreed that voter suppression is as real now as in the days of poll taxes and literacy tests — and that it's vital to dig into the racial impact of a "race-neutral" law or procedure, such as early-voting restrictions or any voter ID requirements. They also recommended giving people the best resources — places they can go for trustworthy help.

The session, "Disinformation and Black Voters in North Carolina: A #WhatToExpect2020 Town Hall," was presented with support from the ACLU of North Carolina, the Greensboro Public Library and the NC Local News Workshop, the home of this newsletter.

 

Learning and sharing

 

🗳️Scalawag and Press On are holding two virtual events next week, to share practices for fighting misinformation about voting and for building community relationships during and after the election. Scalawag’s event with PEN America, "As the South Votes Town Hall: Using Media & Movement to Bust Myths & Disinformation Ahead of the Vote," is next Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 6:30 p.m., and Press On’s event with The Highlander Center, "Covering the Movement: A Forum for Southern Organizers and Journalists on Covering Protest, Voting Rights, and COVID-19," is Oct. 14, also at 6:30. [Learn more / register.]
  ➵ Speaking of Scalawag ... The "As the South Votes" page is an excellent model of engagement, information and citizen input.

🗳️If you missed Poynter’s "Weirdest Election 'Night' Ever" series, which was presented to prepare journalists to cover an election with delayed results, here’s an executive summary that serves as a worksheet.

🗳️It's very late in the game, but if you still want to put together a voter guide, Election SOS has a self-paced email course to help. 
  ➵ Here's one more solid voter guide, by my colleague Analisa Sorrells at EdNC.

🗳️Democracy North Carolina's NC Voter site is a good portal to a lot of resources for voters (and journalists).