Jessica Huseman

Reporter

Photo of Jessica Huseman

Jessica Huseman covered voting rights and election administration for ProPublica. She was the lead reporter for ProPublica’s Electionland project, which helps hundreds of newsrooms across the United States cover ballot access issues in real time. The project has won awards from the Online News Association, the Global Editors Network and the Society for Professional Journalists.

Prior to covering elections, she covered health and education issues, especially those impacting children. A freelance piece she co-authored for ProPublica on nursing regulations sparked a bill in the New York Legislature that would provide additional oversight for nurses who have committed crimes or harmed patients.

She graduated with honors from the Stabile Program in Investigative Journalism at Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, where she was the recipient of the Pulitzer Traveling Fellowship and the Fred M. Hechinger Award for Distinguished Education Reporting. Prior to becoming a journalist, she was a high school history teacher and debate coach in Newark, New Jersey.

Trump Campaign Officials Started Pressuring Georgia’s Secretary of State Long Before the Election

The Republican secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, rejected repeated demands to endorse Trump. As the official overseeing the voting, he believed he should remain neutral.

Una clave que podría decidir la elección: si el Partido Republicano logra impedir que los votantes subsanen boletas rechazadas

Muchos estados permiten a los votantes corregir y entregar de nuevo las boletas que fueron rechazadas por razones técnicas. Se llama “subsanar” votos, y el partido Republicano está intentado impedir que se cuenten porque podrían ayudar a Biden a ganar.

Whether the GOP Can Stop Voters From Legally Fixing Rejected Mail-In Ballots Could Decide the Election

Many states allow voters to fix and resubmit ballots rejected for technical reasons. It’s called “curing” votes, and the GOP is trying to prevent them from being counted because they could help Biden win.

Electionland de ProPublica: El estado del Día de las Elecciones de 2020

En una elección histórica marcada por una pandemia, el voto por correo y la desinformación, los funcionarios electorales se esfuerzan por adaptarse. Esto es lo que los reporteros nacionales de ProPublica están viendo en todo el país. El artículo será actualizado a lo largo del día

ProPublica’s Electionland: The State of Election Day 2020

In a historic election shaped by a pandemic, mail-in voting and misinformation, election officials are scrambling to adapt. Here’s what ProPublica’s national reporters are seeing across the country. This post will be updated throughout the day.

Photo collage of misinformation about the National Guard disseminated over WeChat.

Imagen con información errónea en WeChat intenta disuadir a los chino-americanos para que no voten

Los grupos de chat en la aplicación de propiedad china se hacen eco de los extremistas de derecha y difunden afirmaciones “categóricamente falsas” de que EEUU está movilizando tropas para apaciguar disturbios.

Hasta ahora, el “ejército” de observadores electorales de Trump parece más bien un pequeño pelotón

A pesar de los llamados del presidente y de su hijo, pocos de sus partidarios se han presentado a observar la votación adelantada. Una posible explicación es que se trata de una tarea demasiado aburrida.

Photo collage of misinformation about the National Guard disseminated over WeChat.

Misinformation Image on WeChat Attempts to Frighten Chinese Americans Out of Voting

Chat groups on the Chinese-owned app are echoing right-wing extremists and spreading “categorically false” claims that the U.S. is mobilizing troops to quell riots.

So Far, Trump’s “Army” of Poll Watchers Looks More Like a Small Platoon

Despite appeals from the president and his son, few of his supporters have shown up to watch early voting. One explanation: The task is just too boring.

Foreign Hackers Cripple Texas County’s Email System, Raising Election Security Concerns

The malware attack, which sent fake email replies to voters and businesses, spotlights an overlooked vulnerability in counties that don’t follow best practices for computer security.

No Democrats Allowed: A Conservative Lawyer Holds Secret Voter Fraud Meetings With State Election Officials

Heritage Foundation’s Hans von Spakovsky, whose work about voting fraud has been discredited, has been conducting private meetings for Republicans only.

Reporting Recipe: How to Report on Voting by Mail

Many states are expanding mail-in voting this year. Here’s how local reporters can cover this issue while educating voters.

For Election Administrators, Death Threats Have Become Part of the Job

In a polarized society, the bureaucrats who operate the machinery of democracy are taking flak from all sides. More than 20 have resigned or retired since March 1, thinning their ranks at a time when they are most needed.

What the Post Office Needs to Survive a Pandemic Election

Fueled by the president’s unfounded claims about rampant voter fraud, and reports of equipment being removed, the plight of the United States Postal Service has captured America’s attention. Will it collapse? Here’s what you need to know.

How Voter-Fraud Hysteria and Partisan Bickering Ate American Election Oversight

The federal Election Assistance Commission has neglected key responsibilities or ceded them to other agencies — and two of its four commissioners are parroting the president’s unfounded warnings about vote by mail.

Ignoring Trump and Right-Wing Think Tanks, Red States Expand Vote by Mail

The Heritage Foundation and other conservative groups warn, with little evidence, that voting by mail fosters fraud. But some Republican secretaries of state reject those concerns and see no alternative to absentee voting if the pandemic persists.

Who Has Emergency Authority Over Elections? Nobody’s Quite Sure.

The tug of war over whether and how to hold Tuesday’s Wisconsin primary exposes a national problem: State and local officials with the most experience running elections lack the power to revamp or postpone voting during a crisis.

Voting by Mail Would Reduce Coronavirus Transmission but It Has Other Risks

As COVID-19 spreads, many are proposing to hold the November election by mail. Without careful preparation, though, the transition could run into logistical problems and provide opportunities for voter fraud.

We’ve Reported on Elections for Years. Here’s How Reporters Can Hold Officials Accountable.

Here are tips and ideas about what local reporters should find out about their local election systems before Nov. 3 to make sure people who should be able to vote can cast a ballot.

The Iowa Caucuses App Had Another Problem: It Could Have Been Hacked

While there is no evidence hackers intercepted or tampered with the results, a security firm consulted by ProPublica found that the app lacks key safeguards.

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