Election 2026: Legal resources for journalists
Know your rights on Election Day.
With Election Day approaching, Reporters Committee has compiled this hub of free resources to help journalists better understand their legal rights and cover contests safely and accurately.
Below, learn more about our 24/7 Legal Hotline, Election Legal Guide — available in English and Spanish — and other resources that equip journalists and newsrooms to handle any challenges that might arise while covering elections at all levels.
24/7 Legal Hotline
Journalists who have questions or encounter issues while reporting on the 2026 elections can get help 24/7 at our Legal Hotline.
Election Legal Guide
From covering campaign events to accessing voting records, this guide outlines the legal issues that journalists may face while reporting on elections.
Guía Legal Para Las Elecciones
Esta Guía Legal para las Elecciones ofrece una vista general de las dificultades legales que podrían encarar los periodistas al reportar sobre las elecciones de medio plazo del año 2026.
Open Government Guide
The Open Government Guide includes a state-by-state section on the laws around accessing election records.
Covering Election Day: Your rights at the polls
A primer on journalists’ rights at the polls from the National Press Club Journalism Institute, built on Reporters Committee resources.
Understanding your legal rights, from election records to polling places
Revisit a special edition of the American Press Institute’s series on election safety from 2024, written by Reporters Committee.
Police, Protesters, and the Press
This legal guide helps journalists understand their rights — and how to avoid arrest — at protests that could occur around or after Election Day.