Columbia Journalism School’s Class of 2027 is covering the races and issues shaping the 2026 midterm elections. Students are already reporting across New York City’s five boroughs, examining voters’ priorities and tracking key developments. Their coverage will continue through Election Day with a live news desk, field reporting and an election night broadcast.
Here’s how to follow their coverage:
Watch Election Night Coverage Run By CJS Students
At 9 pm EST on November 3rd, tune in live to watch J-School students close out Election Day with final poll results, real-time reporting and exclusive interviews with New Yorkers during a fully produced broadcast.
Follow the Student Election Desk
A student-run live reporting desk can be found on the CJS Politics Substack and Columbia News Service, covering critical races, ballot proposals and early voting trends. Stay informed with continuous dispatches from student reporters in the field across all five boroughs.
Read the Latest Student Coverage
- Eilis Mathur, ’27 M.S. Stabile, and Theo Scheer, ’27 M.S. Stabile, join Juan Manuel Benitez, Philip S. Balboni Professor of Professional Practice of Local Journalism, to explore the congressional districts that could determine control of Congress in “Midterms 2026: New York and the Fight for Congress.”
- Josephine Gorel, ’27 M.S., examines institutional trust and election security through the perspectives of five New York City voters in “Distrust. Doubts. Denial: Five New Yorkers on the Midterms.”
- Aubrey Ashdown, ’27 M.S., breaks down the five measures facing city voters and what each outcome would mean in “NYC’s Five Ballot Proposals, Explained: What a Yes or No Vote Would Mean.”
Events and Panels
Ahead of Election Day, the Tow Center for Digital Journalism and Simon and June Li Center for Global Journalism examined AI’s influence on elections, discussed how influencers reach voters and taught students to verify election information online.
- AI and Digital Influence in Elections: The Tow Center’s October 30 conference brought journalists and researchers together to discuss AI in electoral politics, digital influence, prediction markets and newsroom standards for covering the midterms.
- NYC Influencers and the Future of Civic Engagement: The Tow Center’s October 19 panel brought influencers, government officials and academics together to discuss Columbia research on how the Mamdani administration uses influencers to share information about voting, public health and city programs.
- Li Center OSINT Series: Open Source Intelligence in Election & Investigative Reporting: In workshops on October 20 and 27, Li Center Associate Director Haley Willis taught students to find sources online, monitor election information and verify digital content, including reverse image searches and tips for identifying AI-generated material.
Behind the Scenes Social Media Updates
Follow Columbia Journalism School across social channels for live updates, insider reporting clips and borough-to-borough coverage of our students in the field.
Student election reporting is one part of Columbia Journalism School’s broader commitment to strengthening journalism and democracy. Learn more through the CJS2030: The Democracy Initiative.
