For us, it’s not just about showing up and voting
Most voters would (I hope) follow along with political coverage, and research their options before they head to the polls Tuesday. It’s something maybe you do a few days, weeks before, if you’re already not sure who’s getting your vote.
But for us, the job starts months before. It’s a long process where we try to put ourselves in the shoes of someone who wants to vote and doesn’t know what to do. What would I need to know to get to the polls and cast my ballot?
It starts with our politics page getting a makeover to revolve completely around the election. We break it down from the beginning — who’s on the ballot, and which races are the ones affecting where you live. Not sure which state House race is yours? We’ve got you covered. Then it’s where’s my polling place, the confusion over the Voter ID law (which is NOT in place for Tuesday). And we’re off.
There were letters sent to all candidates, hand-addressed, so they could fill out our Voters Guide.
The drafts of our print pages have been in the works for weeks. Reporters will work that night writing exactly to fill a hole on a page. There are strict deadlines, and there will be a lot of refreshing websites to see the numbers rolling in.
On the digital side, this year the York Daily Record is offering a new presentation on our website thanks to the coding skills of Dan Herman. When the polls close, our main site will become Election Central. You’ll be able to watch as the presidential numbers come in on a live, updating map. If you sign up for email or text alerts, you can be notified when the state presidential candidate, 4th Congressional, U.S. Senate and when the nation’s new president is chosen.
We have people focusing only on the web. We have people focusing only on the print product. And we’ll have reporters at the polls checking in with voters as the day progresses.
Want to be a part of the action? Keep us posted on Twitter by tweeting at us (@ydrcom) or by using the hashtag #yorkvote. You can also join a live chat Tuesday night, to be moderated by Scott Blanchard. There will also be a Digital First Media chat, where you can ask questions of people like Ann Coulter and Howard Kurtz.
So stick with us as the numbers start rolling in Tuesday, and we pick our next president, senator, congressman, and more representatives.
Any things you’d like to see in our election coverage? As a voter, what else can we do to help you be informed before heading to the polls?