Reporters Committee legal hotline available for journalists covering 2020 election

The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press Legal Hotline is available for journalists covering the 2020 general election.

The hotline will be staffed on Election Day by Reporters Committee lawyers in Washington, D.C., and media lawyers in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin will also be on call.

Contact the Reporters Committee Legal Hotline at 1-800-336-4243 or hotline@rcfp.org if you have questions about reporting on the general election or run into issues while covering the election.

The Reporters Committee’s updated Election Legal Guide provides an overview of challenges reporters might face.

The first part of the Election Legal Guide offers a general summary of information about exit polling, newsgathering in or near polling places, ballot selfies, and access to ballots and election records, along with key deadlines.

The subsequent sections provide more specific information on accessing ballots and election records for each of the following battleground states: Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Journalists who are reporting on protests and demonstrations during the election season can also learn more about the special risks they may face and how to stay safe in the Reporters Committee’s Police, Protesters, and the Press guide.

The Reporters Committee regularly files friend-of-the-court briefs and its attorneys represent journalists and news organizations pro bono in court cases that involve First Amendment freedoms, the newsgathering rights of journalists and access to public information. Stay up-to-date on our work by signing up for our monthly newsletter and following us on Twitter or Instagram.