Democracy, Governance and Elections Reporting Initiative

The CCN Democracy, Governance and Elections Reporting Initiative provides resources and facilitates collaboration with student reporting programs at colleges across the country.

Jump to classroom resources and assignments

How We Can Help

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The CCN Democracy, Governance and Elections Reporting Initiative helps faculty at U.S. colleges and universities who are running student reporting programs and want to cover statehouse activity, policy, issues and candidates at every level of local and state politics. We connect program leaders to a community of peers, provide free teaching resources, facilitate collaborative reporting projects, and promote the exceptional work of your students.

How You Can Join

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Email Sarah Gamard (scbgamard@gmail.com) to register for upcoming virtual collaboration sessions.

Read our our free teaching resources including templates for student election coverage (PDF)

Share your student reporting via email (centerforcommunitynews@gmail.com) for our National Student Reporting News Site

Tell us what you need by taking our survey (Google Form)

Classroom Tools and Resources

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Assignment: Covering a public meeting (PDF)

Assignment: Covering a budget (PDF)

Assignment: Covering the effect of tariffs on your community (PDF)

Assignment: Covering the governor’s opening address to the House and Senate (PDF)

Federal Firings and Layoffs: How to Localize and Humanize Stories (PDF)

Assignment: Open records request (PDF)

Assignment: Profiling a local political player (PDF)

Assignment: Reporting with a government data portal (PDF)

All Assignment Templates for Covering Local Government (PDF)

Visual approaches for local government & federal budget cut assignments (PDF)

Visual Journalism Best Practices (PDF)

Election Assignment 1: Profiling first-time and/or young voter attitudes on campus (doc)

Election Assignment 2: Profiling voter attitudes in underserved  communities off-campus (doc)

Election Assignment 3: How do I cast my vote? A how-to guide for first-time voters in the 2024 election (doc)

Election Assignment 4: Student-made voter guide project (doc)

Election Assignment 5: Pitch a feature story on the 2024 election to your “editor” (doc)

Election Assignment 6: Electoral College Project (doc)

Election Assignment 7: Profiling Election Challenges Post-Election Day (doc)

Elections & Democracy Program: All Assignment Templates & Handouts (doc)

Template for Voter Guide Candidate Questionnaire - Use for Any Races (Google Form)

Special Assignment: Check Out This CCN Guide to Visual Journalism from Award-Winning Visual Editor Deb Pastner (doc)

Collaborative Election Project: Cross-State Live Blogging on Election Day (PDF)

Visual Journalism Best Practices (doc)

Stay in Touch

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Sarah Gamard
Program Manager, CCN Democracy, Governance and Elections Reporting Initiative 
scbgamard@gmail.com

Meg Little Reilly
Managing Director, Center for Community News
Meg.little-reilly@uvm.edu