Local press silence enables ballot spoilers

If local news outlets fail to investigate or disclose late, same‑name or decoy candidates, coordinated actors can use those candidates to siphon votes and alter close races. National exposés that arrive after ballots are cast can change public perception and undermine trust in both results and local journalism. — Local reporting practices are a frontline defense for election integrity; gaps create an avenue for simple, low‑tech electoral manipulation with outsized political consequences.