The voters’ guide to elections

Voter guides are an election-season staple for news organizations. They break down complicated topics and give voters the tools to feel confident and informed at the polls.

Producing them is also a huge, stressful time investment that often happens on incredibly tight deadlines just before ballots are cast.

So what if newsrooms got started on the 2026 voter guide … today?

Engaging with your audience early on ensures that voter guides are timely and genuinely tailored to the community’s needs.

“Even more than with most journalism, the point of a voters guide is to be useful,” said Joy Mayer, founder and executive director of Trusting News. “And whether something is useful is in the eye of the receiver, not the giver.”

Building an ongoing relationship with your audience can shape your coverage and show them you’re invested in what matters to them. Then, when it’s time to compile your voter guide, you’ll have a clear roadmap of the candidates and topics that resonate with your community.

You can also start stockpiling background information about elected officials and candidates now. With tools like Sunlight’s timeline and source list templates — which you can access here — you can track important events, committee roles, campaign finance, and endorsements so that those details are handy for your next story and for that voter guide.

If you need some inspiration for your next voter guide, here are some great ideas from newsrooms we worked with:

• NowKalamazoo produced a step-by-step guide to show their audience how to track campaign funds.
• Moodfuel, a mental health-focused site, compiled an informational guide about Colorado candidates’ stances on mental health issues.
• Spotlight PA offered its audience an AI-powered voting assistant to answer voter questions, all based on their meticulous reporting.

With a bit of preparation now, putting together a voter guide that empowers your community will be much easier later!

Below are some simple tips to help shape your strategy to make your next voter guide the most helpful one yet.

Tip 1: Listen to your audience

Engagement is key. Use polls and surveys to hear directly from your community: What are their priorities? Which candidates are they curious about? They might raise questions you haven’t even considered.

“What kind of information do people need?” asks Mayer. “Too often, journalists provide meaty explanations of policy perspectives but fail to communicate voter registration deadlines or what to do if you spill water on your ballot.”

Moodfuel captured insights from 100 voters across Colorado, asking what they would ask state candidates about mental health. The outlet received 52 responses via email and social media. The top concern was “an inability to access competent, affordable mental health care.”

Renata Hill, publisher of Moodfuel, said after she shared the voter-informed project, about 11,000 people read the guide internationally. Another 2,600 users also explored other pages on the Moodfuel website, a 443% increase over Sept. 1.

“Colorado voters who’ve read the guide have gone out of their way to tell me that they appreciated reading the information on our state legislators,” said Hill. “One woman said it helped her make a decision about who to vote for.”

Screenshot of Spotlight PA’s congressional district voter’s guide.

Tip 2: Focus on key issues and candidates

You could also take a page from Spotlight PA’s approach — include something about all districts or races, even if it’s brief, to offer pertinent information to voters across your area.

Spotlight PA’s voter guide for state-level positions was published weeks before the general election. A top-level guide for congressional candidates was published about ten days before. With support from Sunlight’s research help desk, they shared comprehensive background information on four candidates from two competitive districts.

Tip 3: Always be tracking

Set up systems now to make updating your guide seamless. Use Sunlight’s timeline template to track candidates’ public statements, committee roles and endorsements over time. Create a shared newsroom database to log updates, keeping your guide accurate and easy to refresh.

Stay on top of campaign finance and legislative activities by setting alerts. Tools like the Legislator Misconduct Database and FEC Notify can help you track voting records, sponsored bills and campaign finance reports.

Screenshot of NowKalamazoo’s campaign finance guide.

Tip 4: Show and tell

Empower your audience to investigate, too. NowKalamazoo’s guide taught readers how to track campaign finances locally, equipping them with tools to dig deeper into the political landscape. Adding practical tips like this encourages engagement and builds trust.

Tip 5: Build strategic partnerships

Collaborate with local and regional outlets to amplify your guide’s reach. Moodfuel’s guide received widespread coverage and has been featured in over 25 Colorado newspapers, newsletters and public radio stations statewide. Partnerships like these can ensure your guide reaches voters who may not follow your newsroom directly.

A screenshot of Moodfuel’s symbol key for the Mental Health Voters’ Guide.

Tip 6: Be transparent

Remind your audience of the value of your work. Let them know this is a public service, and that your motivations are not partisan. You could highlight this commitment in a sidebar next to stories, a social post or even in a quick video.

By listening to your audience, tracking key details, and collaborating with partners, you’ll create a voter guide that informs, engages and empowers your community.

Follow us on LinkedIn and visit Sunlight’s website for information about our latest tools and training resources or to request our help with your newsroom’s next accountability story.