Verified News Network (VNN) Oklahoma is a network of Native people and Native allies. The mission of VNN Oklahoma’s 2024 election coverage is to inform Native and Native-allied voters:

Our election coverage will center on issues impacting Indigenous communities including tribal sovereignty, inequity, and health disparities. VNN Oklahoma will not just report on candidate platforms‒we plan to dig into historical evidence to validate candidate stances and ask questions that aren’t being answered. Indigenous narratives will direct our reporting, and we will collaborate with community members affected by Indigenous issues in that direction.

VNN Oklahoma will continue to build trust with community members throughout the 2024 Election Cycle, making both quality news and information accessible to as many people as possible through a variety of digital platforms and in-person events.

Why does VNN Oklahoma prioritize election coverage relating to Indigenous issues?

VNN is a Native-owned social news media company. One of our main goals company wide is to provide news and information for underrepresented groups, and Indigenous communities fall into that category. We consider a lack of independent Native American news and information to be the greatest need in Oklahoma’s media ecosystem.

Oklahoma has the second largest Indigenous population in the United States, with 39 tribal nations sharing land with the state. Over 14% of Oklahomans identify as Native American, a growing population despite a history of genocide and other injustice.

Native Americans did not have the right to vote in all 50 states until 1962, which negatively impacted voter registration rates and participation. This, paired with generations of deeply rooted government avoidance, has led to politicians being able to enact legislation that negatively impacts Native communities’ health and safety, including laws that exploit Native resources and overlook health crises that impact Native communities.

How VNN Oklahoma chooses sources for election stories:

VNN Oklahoma selects sources based on their relevance to the story. Some of the questions we ask ourselves are: Who is running for election? Who is an expert on historical context that applies to current events? Who knows the most about issues impacting Native American communities? Who is directly impacted by Indigenous policies, proposals, or other decisions? These are the questions we ask ourselves to ensure we aren’t reporting on just what candidates want us to say, and that our audience feels represented in our reporting.

What elections will VNN Oklahoma be covering during the 2024 Election Cycle?

Osage Nation Congress Elections: Monday, June 3, 2024

Tulsa Mayoral Election: Tuesday, August 27, 2024

United States Presidential Election: Tuesday, November 5, 2024

How did VNN Oklahoma choose which races to cover and what will that coverage look like:

VNN Oklahoma is choosing to focus on the races that have the most potential to impact Indigenous communities in Tulsa County and northeast Oklahoma. This coverage will include tribal, municipal and federal elections, explain how the outcomes of these elections could impact Native American interests, and be framed with historical context.

How does VNN Oklahoma take the opinions and suggestions of its audience into consideration?

VNN Oklahoma has surveyed local Indigenous community members about political issues and information needs previously, and will continue to do so.

As part of our 2024 election coverage, VNN Oklahoma will again provide feedback opportunities through online surveying to learn more about what issues are most important to our audience.

Our local community members can also reach out to us directly, either through our social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, Substack), email, call and soon SMS, and we will make sure to encourage feedback on a regular basis, as well.

Once feedback is received, our team will review and discuss it to determine how to incorporate it into our coverage. This incorporation could be social media assets, dialogue prompts, and even new or improved coverage dedication(s).

Where can I find VNN Oklahoma election coverage?

VNN Oklahoma election coverage will be available in the VNN News Feed, located at https://app.verifiednews.network/, our social media pages, and in email newsletters you can sign up for on our Substack at https://verifiednews.substack.com/

What VNN Oklahoma won’t do during election coverage:

VNN Oklahoma will not stand apart from our communities during our election coverage, nor will we act as a mouthpiece to further candidate agendas.

Our news coverage will remain factual, build with historical context, and amplify perspectives of those impacted the most by Native issues and Native-related policies.