In defense of democracy: exploring the process of identifying, monitoring, reporting, and narrating modern voting and election issues

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Date
2020-12
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University of Alabama Libraries
Abstract

The 2018 midterm elections and the proper way to conduct elections during a national pandemic raise several questions about voting and election systems in this country. Advocates and politicians on the left claim republican politicians in multiple states made efforts to suppress votes during the 2018 midterm elections. Ballot purges in Georgia, ex-felon disenfranchisement in Florida, and the disenfranchisement of indigenous citizens in North Dakota are among the examples. Advocates and politicians on the right are concerned about the security and integrity of modern elections and voting issues, as these players raise concerns about identification laws, felon voting issues, and voter fraud. Journalists and journalism, acting as the watchdogs of democracy, play a unique role in reporting modern-day voting and election issues. Given its obscure nature, voting and election issues often go unnoticed until the press is alerted to its activity, thus adding more importance to the role of political journalists and agenda setters. Research suggests modern voter suppression and disenfranchisement is a device used by Republicans more than Democrats, which creates a challenge and a pathway for criticism for fair and unbiased journalism. Through a series of qualitative interviews, this study explores the process of identifying, reporting, and narrating voting and election issues in the United States and its relationship with the expectation of objective, advocacy, and fair journalism. It was revealed that while voting and election issues remain static as a generalized category, the details in covering, reporting, and narrating are dynamic. Using four journalists with varying backgrounds and a content analysis of their coverage solidified the demand for voting and election issues covered using conventional journalism or partisan-tinted coverage.

Description
Electronic Thesis or Dissertation
Keywords
Journalism, Political science, Communication
Citation