The Beacon

Helping Kansas Citians vote safely in a pandemic

Many organizations publish election guides but few do it with this level of outreach and impact. The Beacon worked with community partners in advance of the 2020 elections to connect to disenfranchised and discriminated voters and published election guides in five languages, helping people figure out how to vote in a pandemic. The guides were distributed all over, but especially in zip codes with low voter turnout. Their reporting also led to higher security on election websites, young people signing up to be poll workers and the installation of more ballot boxes in communities. The judges applaud them for partnering left and right and responding in real time to election barriers.

Honorable Mentions:

• The Highlands Current – Student Journalists Program
• Oklahoma Watch – “A Digital Memorial to Oklahomans Who Died from COVID-19“
• Voice of OC – Public Town Halls