Election Overtime

As an election reporter, you need a new level of support.

Most elections are decided by clear margins and generate little controversy. But when races are close or contested, the rules and procedures that govern what happens after Election Day can become central to the story.

Election-night results are unofficial, and close races can take days or even weeks to resolve. During that “overtime” period, journalists need to understand how votes are counted and verified, how results are certified, and how recounts and legal challenges work.

As a reporter today, you'll need a deep understanding of the rules of “election overtime.”

Think of sports: When a game goes into overtime, fans understand that additional rules and procedures will determine the final score. Close and contested elections have their own “overtime” rules, governing everything from canvassing and certification to recounts and legal challenges.

Clear reporting on these processes can help voters understand what is happening, what the rules require, and when results are final.

Without clear reporting on these processes, uncertainty can create opportunities for inaccurate or misleading claims about election administration to spread. And when races are contested, voters may be unfamiliar with the legal procedures used to resolve disputes.

Journalists play a critical role in these moments. Careful reporting on the rules, evidence, and procedures at issue can help the public understand how close and contested elections are resolved.

A solution: Election Overtime

Election Reformers Network created Election Overtime with support from The Carter Center to support journalists covering close and contested elections. The project provides:

State-specific guides for reporters covering elections that go into "overtime"
Election litigation tracking
Experts available for informed commentary

Details journalists need, at their fingertips

This guide is designed to help journalists prepare for the unique challenges of election overtime. We focus on three pillars that help ensure trustworthy election outcomes: transparency, verification of results, and judicial review.

3 Pillars for Reporting on Trusted Elections

#1. Assuring Voters on Transparency

Transparency is built into election administration in many ways. State laws provide opportunities for authorized observers (including representatives of candidates and parties) to observe different stages of the election process.

#2. Understanding Verification Processes

Election results go through multiple steps before becoming final. These can include canvassing to reconcile and confirm vote totals, post-election audits to verify results, and recounts in close races or other circumstances specified by state law.

#3. Communicating Judicial Procedures

State laws provide procedures for resolving election disputes. Understanding who can bring a challenge, the legal standards that apply, and how courts evaluate the evidence is essential to accurately covering contested elections.

Understanding these pillars is important because elections are complex undertakings, and questions, errors, and disputes can arise. Transparency, verification processes, and judicial review provide mechanisms for identifying problems, establishing the facts, and resolving disputes—even in the closest elections.

Voters will rely on journalists for clear and accurate coverage of these processes. We hope this guide helps you answer that call.

MORE INFO: Many excellent resources cover the nuts and bolts of election administration. Rather than duplicate those efforts, we link to relevant materials throughout this site and on our Resources page.