Ford Presidential Foundation, Carter Center, journalists and former secretaries of state issue letter calling for election night news coverage changes

Experts also call for heightened education about the rule of law in anticipation of next week’s election

An open letter was issued yesterday calling on network anchors and election reporters to “help in ensuring that American voters understand the election process” through increased information about the timing of official results, aside from the media’s projections. Organizations signing the letter include The Carter Center, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation, the League of Women Voters of the United States, Issue One, Campaign Legal Center, RepresentUs, The Chamberlain Network, and others. The letter was also signed by former secretaries of state of both parties, and current and former journalists.

The letter was prepared by Election Reformers Network as part of its Election Overtime project, which supports accurate media coverage of close and contested elections. The letter proposes statements that networks can use when making projections, such as: “This is just a projection. The actual results will be final when all votes are counted, and officials verify and certify the results."

Explaining the letter in an op-ed published yesterday in The Fulcrum, ERN Executive Director Kevin Johnson wrote, “As disinformation abounds, it is increasingly important for voters to know how the actual, legally certain election results are determined. And right now, voters are not seeing enough of that information on their screens on election night.”

David Carroll of the Carter Center explained his organization’s support for the open letter, saying “While the networks do a great job reporting on election night in what is often a challenging context with unpredictable timing, they should do more to help voters understand the complex processes that lead to official results, apart from the projections.”

Nick Penniman, CEO of Issue One, which has signed the letter, discussed what he and others are hoping to see change in election night coverage.

“Election night is just the beginning,” said Penniman. “Election officials work tirelessly after the polls close to ensure every vote is counted accurately. While we all want to know the results as soon as possible, the media has a responsibility to remind Americans that accuracy takes time, and patience is key to trusting the final results.”
Election Reformers Network (ERN) also released a new national survey  yesterday illustrating that voters—of all backgrounds—do not know election rules as well as they should. The survey found that large majorities of Americans incorrectly answered questions about election certification processes and the rights of parties to challenge results. ERN offers a range of resource to reporters and voters to increase understanding. These include swing-state election law briefs and post-election calendars, post-election litigation trackers and an overview of “what voters need to know about presidential elections.”

Benjamin Ginsberg, a national prominent election lawyer who advised many Republican presidential candidates, spoke during ERN’s webinar yesterday about the importance in the post-election period of separating “breathless charges about elections” from real concerns. “I think it’s incumbent on reporters to actually ask for the affidavits,” he said, “and to talk to the witnesses before giving credence to charges about elections not being reliable.”

Mike Ford, the eldest son of former President Gerald Ford, recalled his father’s close election race with then governor of Georgia Jimmy Carter. Ford read part of his father’s concession speech to Carter, which included these words: “Although there will continue to be disagreements over the best means to use in pursuing our goals, I want to assure you that you have my complete and wholehearted support as you take the oath of office this January. May God bless you and your family as you undertake your new responsibilities.”

ERN Executive Director Kevin Johnson followed on Ford’s comments to emphasize the importance of restoring the norm that a defeated president should concede gracefully, as Gerald Ford and so many others have done. “We can’t give up on norms,” Johnson said, “Democracy doesn’t work on laws alone, it also works on norms.”

ERN Vice President Heather Balas spoke to the urgency of public education as a tool to prevent unrest. “Political unrest stems from perceived injustices,” she said. “Voters—even those who are disappointed after next week’s election—are much less likely to believe that injustices have occurred if they understand the rigorous process by which the results were determined.”

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ELECTION REFORMERS NETWORK

​The Election Reformers Network advances election innovations that protect democracy from polarization.  ERN favors neither the left nor the right and advances policy change to ensure the institutions running U.S. elections are as impartial as possible.  The ERN team offers a reliable support system to reporters throughout the election season.