Election Integrity Reporting Intern (Volunteer, Fall 2026) in New York City, New York at WhoWhatWhy

*Note: the following is an opportunity for volunteer, part time, flexible work. Please DO NOT APPLY if you are only looking for paid employment. We are always happy to work with college students who are looking for internships.*

Are you a college student or recent graduate who is worried about the state of democracy in the US? Do you want to hone your journalistic skills?

Then we have an amazing opportunity for you: A spot just opened up on our election integrity team.

From right now through the midterms (and the legal fights that will undoubtedly follow), we are looking for a young reporter with the passion and drive to cover threats to free and fair elections.

Who We Are

WhoWhatWhy is a non-profit news organization. We are staffed largely with skilled volunteers dedicated to elevating public awareness of any form of injustice in the US and across the globe.

Internship Program Overview

Since its founding, WhoWhatWhy has worked with aspiring young journalists and offered them opportunities no class, college newspaper, or internship with a local publication can provide.

Because WhoWhatWhy has always operated on a remote basis, our mentors are experienced in providing the sort of “distance learning” that is now needed for young people counting on in-person internships to get their careers underway.

Interns will be trained in all facets of reporting and work with their mentors to write various kinds of news articles – from wire-service style pieces to investigative stories. They will not have to share their bylines with anybody else and leave with a portfolio of quality articles. Some of them also stay on as paid freelancers or fellows.

We are looking for college students and recent graduates. Some reporting and writing experience is required. The commitment is a minimum of 10-15 hours per week from now through November.

Our Editors

Many of our editors have decades of combined experience working with young reporters at such publications as The New York Times, The New Yorker, and The Hill, as well as local, regional, and online publications like Buzzfeed and Vice. Others have taught journalism at the college and graduate school levels.

WhoWhatWhy mentors and staff also help interns find jobs through letters of recommendation, references, networking, and coaching

Expectations

You will work remotely and on your own schedule (apart from attending live Zoom calls for a mix of instruction and discussion with your mentor and peers).

To Apply

Please send us a resume and a carefully reasoned, customized cover letter (no form submissions, no AI!) that outlines who you are and what you hope to accomplish as an intern. Please confirm your understanding that this is a volunteer position. We will not review applications that appear to be mass submissions. Please send a cover letter to bethany.carlson@whowhatwhy.org