State Election Coordinators

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Overview 

The USA TODAY NETWORK is seeking a 10 State Election Coordinators to join our Election Results Operations team. This role leads the planning and execution of statewide election-night results collection, managing a distributed network of 100–150 stringers responsible for manually gathering official results in jurisdictions where data cannot be digitally collected. 

Coordinators are responsible for building and operating a reliable, high-coverage reporting system under tight deadlines and public scrutiny. This includes researching county-level election processes, validating reporting methods, recruiting and training stringers, and leading real-time operations on election night. 

This is a full-time, long-term role supporting both midterm and general election cycles. 

Responsibilities:  

• Research and validate state and county-level election reporting processes, identifying jurisdictions that require manual results collection. 
• Build and manage a statewide network of 100–150 stringers, each assigned to specific jurisdictions requiring coverage. 
• Develop staffing plans that ensure full coverage of assigned jurisdictions, including contingency planning for no-shows and gaps. 
• Recruit, onboard, and train stringers using a standardized training program; contribute to improving training as needed. 
• Produce pre-election deliverables including coverage plans, staffing models, risk assessments, and documentation of reporting processes. 
• Establish and maintain working relationships with election officials to understand reporting timelines, access points, and potential risks. 
• Lead election-night operations for the state, including: 
• Monitoring stringer activity and coverage in real time 
• Troubleshooting issues such as no-shows, delays, and technical problems 
• Reassigning coverage and making rapid staffing decisions as needed 
• Escalating system or data issues to central operations teams 
• Maintain constant communication with the central election operations hub during live events. 
• Manage and track stringer compensation through freelance payment system.  
• Track stringer readiness, performance, and reliability to inform hiring decisions for future cycles. 

Requirements: 

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience. 
• Strong understanding of U.S. election systems, including how results are reported at the county level. 
• Experience managing distributed or contract-based teams in high-pressure, deadline-driven environments. 
• Ability to independently make operational decisions and adjust plans in real time. 
• Strong organizational skills, including tracking staffing, coverage, and operational readiness across a large geography. 
• Excellent communication skills, especially in fast-moving, high-stakes situations. 
• High level of judgment with a clear priority on accuracy and certainty over speed. 
• Ability to work extended hours, including late nights on election days. 

Preferred: 

• Direct experience in election results operations (e.g., Edison or similar organizations). 
• Background in logistics, field operations, political campaigns, or newsroom operations. 
• Experience working with imperfect, inconsistent, or delayed data sources. 

What Success Looks Like: 

• Full coverage of all assigned jurisdictions with no gaps on election night 
• Accurate and verified results reporting, prioritizing certainty over speed 
• Rapid response to operational issues, including effective reassignment during no-shows 
• A well-trained, reliable stringer network with strong retention across cycles 
• Clear, consistent communication with central operations teams 

Application Instructions 

When you apply, don’t limit your upload to a resume; show us what you’ve done. To do so, put together a single document file that includes the following, in this order: 

1. A cover letter that outlines how you would approach the job and relevant journalism, data and operations experience. 
2. Your resume. 
3. An example or two of a project or strategy that you’re proud of and had a hand in developing, leading, or completing. Please include a brief description of the work, your role and any relevant results. 

It is important that these items be assembled into a single document and uploaded in PDF format. Completing these steps will ensure that your application receives the highest consideration. 

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The annualized base salary for this role will range between $45,000 to $92,000. Base compensation is reflective of many factors, including, but not limited to, the market in which one lives/works, individual education level, skills, certifications and experience. Note: variable compensation is not reflected in these figures and based on the role, may be applicable.