State Election Coordinator

USA TODAY Co.

1d•$70,000 - $85,000•Remote

About The Position

The USA TODAY NETWORK is seeking a State Election Coordinator 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.

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.

Nice To Haves

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.

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.