Colorado Newsline is listening to Voter Voices in 2024
We at Colorado Newsline committed to provide better election coverage.
We told readers in October that “we’re demoting the horse race and elevating constituent interests.” In other words, we want to focus less on polls, dollars and endorsements and more on families, individuals and every resident who is affected by the outcome of elections.
This aligns with the “not the odds, but the stakes” approach to election coverage advocated by New York University journalism professor Jay Rosen, who as part of the “citizens agenda” advises newsrooms to learn about what the electorate wants politicians and candidates to address.
Now we’re taking a big step toward fulfilling that commitment with a project called Voter Voices 2024.
More than 30 news outlets across the state are partnering on the Voter Voices project, which is led by the Colorado News Collaborative, or COLab. If you’re a voter in Colorado, we’re asking you to fill out a survey and tell us what issues matter to you most ahead of the primary election in June and the general election in November.
The first question gets right to the point: “What would you like candidates to talk about as they compete for your vote?”
There are also a few multiple choice questions meant to zero in on your perspective. Is the economy top of mind? How about immigration? Abortion? We ask you about elections themselves — Do you trust that they will be conducted fairly in your community?
Responses will be most useful if they come from a cross-section of Colorado. We invite every voter — left and right, rural and urban, young and old — to complete the survey.
After about a month of collecting responses, we’ll use them to create a database — a powerful resource as we chart our coverage. We expect it to provide us with a more detailed view of Colorado voter sentiments than we’ve ever had before. Equipped with that knowledge, our election stories will be more informed, and we’ll be able to approach politicians and candidates with a much deeper understanding of your interests in the state.
Our questions for politicians will be guided by voters, and we’ll be able to challenge them when their rhetoric doesn’t match the priorities of the people they mean to represent. Voters who agree to speak directly with journalists can serve as sources throughout the election season. We want to prioritize constituents over candidates seeking power.
Ultimately, the project will allow us to better serve you. It will help Newsline produce election coverage that enables voters to act with clarity and confidence when they fill out their ballots.
As the project was forming, we had the feeling that it could be an unprecedented effort. That hunch was affirmed after we launched it this week.
“The collaboration announced today in Colorado is without precedent in the history of the citizens agenda approach to campaign coverage, which goes back to 1990-92,” Rosen wrote on X.
If we’re successful, Voter Voices has the potential to serve as a model for journalists in other states throughout the country.
You can help us achieve this goal by filling out the survey. And we welcome your input on other ways we can improve our election coverage and understand your concerns. Write us an email, text us or visit us for a chat.
Here is the survey:
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