Nonpartisan. Oath-bound. We endorse no candidate and no party.

Menu

Back to Field Reporters

Report from your polling place on Election Day

On Tuesday, November 3, 2026, The Smoke Pit is covering the election live, with field reports from polling places across the country.

Field reporters must be veterans or military family members.

A producer reviews every application. If you’re approved, you’ll get an email to start a short online training, which must be finished by October 28, 2026. It takes about ten minutes to apply.

Contact

The name we’ll put on screen when you report.
Training access and sign-in links come here.
In Signal, tap your profile picture (on iPhone, then Settings), then your name. Your username is next to the @ sign. No username yet? Tap there to make one. It’s a name, a dot, and at least two numbers, like name.01. Enter it exactly, numbers included. To keep your phone number private: Settings › Privacy › Phone Number › Who can see my number › Nobody.

Location

A general area, like a neighborhood or part of town. Never your home address.
We show your slot times in Eastern and in this zone.

Availability

Which blocks on Election Day could you cover? Choose all that apply. You’ll pick exact times later.
Could we call you back on air later in the day if needed?

Vetting

How did you hear about us?
Do you work or volunteer for a political campaign?
This doesn’t rule you out. A producer will talk it through with you.
Are you a poll worker this election?
This doesn’t rule you out either.

Military

Your military connection
Currently serving? Service members have extra rules about political activity on camera. Training includes a module on what you can and can’t do on air, and you’ll need to pass it.
Yours, or your family member’s.

Membership

Are you a member of 50501?

Tech

Your phone
Are you comfortable on camera?
Do you have reliable mobile data where you’d report?

Agreements