What does it take to report responsibly, accurately and in defense of democracy in a high-stakes and likely unprecedented election environment this fall, one where ballots will be contested, where courts are intervening just weeks before the election, and where ICE may be standing by the polls?

On Tuesday, Oct. 6, the 2026 Democracy Summit will bring together more than 300 journalists, newsroom leaders, scholars, legal experts and democracy leaders at Howard University for a day focused on the challenges journalists will face in covering the threats to democracy in real time and how newsrooms can prepare for what’s ahead. Learn from newsroom leaders at some of the nation’s most important news organizations, journalists who have covered eroding democracy abroad and legal and scholarly experts.

The 2026 Democracy Summit is free to attend but you must register in advance.