CCIJ Unveils AI-Driven ElectionWatch Platform to Improve Election Accountability
The Center for Collaborative Investigative Journalism (CCIJ) has announced the launch of ElectionWatch, a new artificial intelligence-powered tool.
ElectionWatch helps journalists, researchers, and civic groups identify election-related misinformation narratives and networks on social media platforms
Produced with support from Google’s Journalism AI Challenge, ElectionWatch brings together data analysis, AI-assisted monitoring, and collaborative workflows to strengthen election coverage. The tool is built to support investigative reporting, fact checking, and accountability journalism before, during, and after elections.
“Elections sit at the heart of democracy, but they are also moments when misinformation and disinformation thrive with very negative effects on public trust,” said CCIJ Executive Director Jeff Kelly Lowenstein. “ElectionWatch is about giving journalists and watchdogs a practical, ethical AI tool that helps them see patterns faster and collaborate across newsrooms.”
The tool allows users to do deeper investigative work by identifying misinformation narratives, actors and networks. It was developed by CCIJ with a strong emphasis on transparency, responsible AI use, and newsroom driven design.
CCIJ’s Product Manager Nelly Kalu said ElectionWatch responds directly to challenges journalists face during election cycles: “We built the tool we wish we had during our investigation into Nigeria’s 2023 presidential elections. Reporters and editors work under pressure during election cycles. They need speed, accuracy, and context without sacrificing ethics. ElectionWatch is designed to fit into real newsroom workflows and support collaborative investigations, especially in the Global South.”
CCIJ plans to roll out ElectionWatch through a series of virtual demonstrations, newsroom training, and partnerships with journalism and civic technology organizations.
Early adopters will include investigative newsrooms, fact checking groups, and election observers working across Africa and beyond.
It is part of CCIJ’s broader mission of developing innovative tools and collaborative models that advance investigative journalism, accountability, and democratic participation worldwide.
