Note: this piece has been updated to reflect recent events.

WITF in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, is taking proactive measures to cover the issues around election security and integrity and to combat misinformation this election cycle. The station, like most public media stations, is dedicated to providing transparent, accurate, and comprehensive coverage of the election process to build trust and inform the public.  But with their Democracy reporter Jordan Wilke, WITF is taking it one step further.

A Multi-Faceted Approach to Educate and Engage

WITF is producing a series of stories that aim to “pre-bunk” misinformation about voting, getting ahead of false narratives before they spread. Additionally, they’ve organized an in-person event in Gettysburg featuring the state's Secretary of the Commonwealth, who oversees elections. This event gave voters a unique opportunity to ask direct questions and gain a clearer understanding of the election process. WITF is also collaborating with organizations like Votebeat and the Associated Press, ensuring the news organizations avoid duplicating efforts and can instead focus on providing diverse and wide-ranging election coverage.

According to WITF’s newsletter, The Purple Buck, the new partnership will allow WITF and AP to create create explainers that will help Pennsylvanians vote and understand how elections work. The content will be available to newsrooms across the state.

• What is logic and accuracy testing? Preparing Pa.'s voting machines

• Can noncitizens vote in Pa. elections?

• Why do election experts oppose hand-counting ballots?

Democracy reporter Jordan Wilke is working on the next one, about campaign finance and how voters can search what a candidate receives. Look for these on their election-coverage page at witf.org/elections.

To build trust and open lines of communication with election officials before the election, Wilkie has also been forging strong relationships with county election office directors across Pennsylvania. This will allow WITF to respond swiftly if any issues emerge in specific counties. Every piece of information published will of course undergo a rigorous vetting and editing process, ensuring the highest standards of journalistic integrity.

WITF is also putting processes in place to address misinformation promptly and factually. They are developing a series of videos and stories to provide clear, accurate information about the election process. This content is designed to educate voters and prevent misinformation from gaining traction.  Back in 2020, the station put together a guide to help its audience recognize misinformation, and they used it again in the 2022 midterms.

Highlighting Real-World Examples of Election Security Challenges

WITF’s commitment to election security is evident in their recent coverage. For example, following the May primary election, Wilkie reported on one county’s decision to accept 95 mail-in ballots from the primary that had discrepancies with the required date on the return envelope. This story not only highlighted the specific issue but also explained the potential lessons for the upcoming November election. 

The station plans to utilize all platforms — audio, video, and digital — to reach its audience effectively. JWilkie is collaborating with WITF’s digital team to develop a tool that will search voter rolls and identify trends in different parts of the state, providing deeper insights into local voting patterns.

In addition, they were recently awarded a grant from the American Press Institute to create a print product on election administration and security for distribution at community gathering places, informed by a virtual forum on the same theme.

Local media outlets like WITF play a vital role in maintaining election integrity. They are among the most trusted sources of information for their communities, and by shifting the focus of their political coverage away from poll numbers and the “horse race” and instead emphasizing the election process and the issues that matter most to voters, they aim to foster a more informed and engaged electorate.