Covering the 2024 elections? RCFP’s free legal resources can help.
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press today announced the release of its updated Election Legal Guide, which provides an overview of legal issues that journalists may face while reporting on the 2024 election cycle. The guide is one of many free legal resources from the Reporters Committee that journalists can turn to while reporting on this year’s primaries, political conventions, and the general election.
“As journalists prepare to cover consequential elections at all levels in 2024, we want to make sure they are equipped with the legal knowledge and support that will help them keep communities informed as voters cast their ballots,” said Reporters Committee Executive Director Bruce Brown. “Democracy depends on a well-informed public, and news reporting is essential to providing people with information about the electoral process and the issues that matter to them most.”
The recently updated Election Legal Guide — available in English and Spanish — includes information about campaign events, exit polling, newsgathering in or near polling places, access to ballot and election records, and more. The guide also includes new state-specific information for 11 battleground states: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Journalists reporting on protests and demonstrations during the 2024 election season can also learn more about the special risks they may face and how to stay safe in the Reporters Committee’s Police, Protesters, and the Press guide.
The Reporters Committee’s guides are intended for informational purposes only and do not replace the legal advice of an attorney.
Journalists with additional questions — including questions about states not featured in the Election Legal Guide — should contact the Reporters Committee’s free Legal Hotline, which RCFP attorneys have operated in every election cycle since 1972. The fastest way to reach an attorney through the hotline is by completing an online form, but journalists can also call 1-800-336-4243 or email hotline@rcfp.org.
The Reporters Committee, including through its Local Legal Initiative and ProJourn programs, will also provide journalists and newsrooms in battleground states likely to receive heightened attention in 2024 with legal training and resources as part of the Newsroom Safety Across America initiative led by the International Women’s Media Foundation.
Trainings have already occurred in Arizona and Georgia, and are scheduled to take place in Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, with plans to add more states throughout the year. Interested journalists and news organizations can visit the IWMF’s website to apply to participate in a free training as dates for each location are announced, including upcoming trainings in Pittsburgh (March 22), Philadelphia (March 25 and 26), and Harrisburg (March 27).
The Reporters Committee regularly files friend-of-the-court briefs and its attorneys represent journalists and news organizations pro bono in court cases that involve First Amendment freedoms, the newsgathering rights of journalists and access to public information. Stay up-to-date on our work by signing up for our monthly newsletter and following us on Twitter or Instagram.