Pam Fessler
Pam Fessler is a correspondent on NPR's National Desk, where she covers poverty, philanthropy, and voting issues.
In her reporting at NPR, Fessler does stories on homelessness, hunger, affordable housing, and income inequality. She reports on what non-profit groups, the government, and others are doing to reduce poverty and how those efforts are working. Her poverty reporting was recognized with a 2011 First Place National Headliner Award.
Fessler also covers elections and voting, including efforts to make voting more accessible, accurate, and secure. She has done countless stories on everything from the debate over state voter identification laws to Russian hacking attempts and long lines at the polls.
After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Fessler became NPR's first Homeland Security correspondent. For seven years, she reported on efforts to tighten security at ports, airports, and borders, and the debate over the impact on privacy and civil rights. She also reported on the government's response to Hurricane Katrina, The 9/11 Commission Report, Social Security, and the Census. Fessler was one of NPR's White House reporters during the Clinton and Bush administrations.
Before becoming a correspondent, Fessler was the acting senior editor on the Washington Desk and NPR's chief election editor. She coordinated all network coverage of the presidential, congressional, and state elections in 1996 and 1998. In her more than 25 years at NPR, Fessler has also been deputy Washington Desk editor and Midwest National Desk editor.
Earlier in her career, she was a senior writer at Congressional Quarterly magazine. Fessler worked there for 13 years as both a reporter and editor, covering tax, budget, and other news. She also worked as a budget specialist at the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, and was a reporter at The Record newspaper in Hackensack, New Jersey.
Fessler has a master's of public administration from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University and a bachelor's degree from Douglass College in New Jersey.
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In a tight Senate race in Maine, opponents of Republican Sen. Susan Collins are focusing on her role in crafting a 2006 law that they say has crippled the U.S. Postal Service's finances.
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President Trump has stepped up his assault on both mail-in voting and the U.S. Postal Service. He stated that without additional money to fund both, Democrats will be unable to expand mail-in voting.
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A slew of primary elections that were delayed by the coronavirus pandemic are underway Tuesday. But in addition to the virus, election officials now have to grapple with civil unrest.
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The push to expand mail-in voting during the pandemic has led to a new legal battle between political parties and related interest groups. The conflict might have a major impact on upcoming elections.
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Some primary voters in California and Texas encountered long lines at voting locations on Super Tuesday. Officials cite mechanical problems with a new voting system and a higher-than-expected turnout.
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U.S. intelligence officials are warning of Russian attempts to interfere with the 2020 elections.
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The breakdown of the system used to report Iowa caucus results raises a warning for the rest of this year's elections.
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A new poll by NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist finds widespread concern that the 2020 elections will not be fair and accurate. Americans are worried about disinformation, voter fraud and voter suppression.
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Several states are removing voters from their rolls in preparation for the 2020 elections. Critics say voters are being unfairly "purged" but states say they're "cleaning up" the lists.
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Advocacy groups are trying to educate immigrants about the Trump administration's rule change that says legal immigrants will be less likely to be able to stay in the U.S. if they use public benefits.