This year marks the first time VoxPopuli is working with other news organizations on a regional voters guide.

“Producing voting guides is one of the most important things we do at VoxPopuli,” said Norine Dworkin, the site editor in chief. “The late Congressman John Lewis called voting ‘the most powerful nonviolent tool we have in a democracy.’ Voting is how we make our voices heard; how we make change; and how we move our society forward. It’s our job as journalists to ensure that voters have accurate information about candidates and ballot measures when they go to vote. Working collaboratively with these other fine journalists, sharing ideas and information together, we’ll deliver a guide that voters will really value.”

"This is the first time we have news outlets in our region cooperating to create a guide to help voters make informed choices at the polls," Sentinel Executive Editor Roger Simmons said. "It's really extraordinary to see these newsrooms come together to work on an important project like this."

The news organizations collaborated to create questionnaires for candidates in federal, state, county and judicial races to answer. Questions range from asking candidates what are their top issues, how they would address affordability and even where they stand on Florida's proposed constitutional amendment on property tax reductions.

"We want the candidates to answer in their own words how they will address issues that impact our area's residents," Simmons said.

VoxPopuli also reached out to many of the candidates for additional interviews about West Orange County-related issues.

Candidates have already been contacted several times to respond to the questionnaire. If a candidate does not respond, it will be noted in the voters guide. The news organizations may then try to answer the questions for the candidates from information posted on campaign sites or their own social media.

"Of course, our preference is for all candidates to answer themselves," Simmons said, "but it may be telling for voters to see who responded and who did not.”

“Politicians are accountable to their constituents, and the news media assists with that by regularly asking questions. Savvy politicians step outside the echo chamber and engage with reporters beyond those who may be considered ‘friendly media,'" said Dworkin. "We are always ready to talk fairly with every candidate and elected official who will sit down with our reporters."

The goal is for the voters guide to publish by the end of July, in time for early voting and primary election day on Aug. 18.

The News Collaborative of Central Florida came out of the Central Florida Journalism Ecosystem Summit, hosted in 2024 by Central Florida Public Media, Central Florida Foundation and Oviedo Community News. Collaborative members worked together last year on a project focusing on the impact of the state's homeless camping ban.