Pre-conference Workshop: The Rural Election Data Sprint

An INN Days 2026 pre-conference workshop on turning election research and data into local reporting for Rural News Network (RNN) newsrooms

With the midterms just months away, many rural newsrooms are being asked to cover increasingly complex elections without the time, tools or staff to fully track the money, networks and influence shaping local races. This pre-conference session is designed to help close that gap—offering a hands-on, working lab where journalists can begin turning national data resources into local, actionable reporting.

Join us before INN Days on Tuesday, June 16 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the conference venue for this hands-on session led by INN’s Rural News Network alongside INN members MuckRock’s Sunlight Research and OpenSecrets. 

Register

Register by June 10, 2026. Tickets are $29 and include lunch.

In this interactive session, participants will work in small groups using tools from Sunlight Research and OpenSecrets to identify story angles, surface key data points and map out next steps for reporting. With guidance from experienced editors and data experts, attendees will move beyond theory and start building real election coverage grounded in their communities.

• Ideal for: Reporters, editors, and data journalists at INN member rural newsrooms 
• Key Takeaways: Understanding of how Sunlight Research and OpenSecret’s resources can help you cover candidates and campaign finance, as well as potential story leads to jumpstart your elections coverage
• Format & Experience: Walk-thrus of using candidate research and data tools, small group discussion, brainstorming activities to identify story leads and topics
• Topics Covered: Campaign finance, outside money, candidate research and rural elections dynamics.
• Schedule: This workshop will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16. The INN Days conference will begin at 3:30 p.m.

This pre-conference workshop is separate from INN Days and requires its own registration. If you are planning to also attend INN Days, you must register separately here.

For questions, please contact alana@inn.org.