The Virginia Mercury is an independent, nonprofit online news organization covering state government and policy. The Mercury launched in 2018 to bring a fresh perspective to coverage of the state’s biggest political and policy issues and fill the gaps in statehouse reporting created by a shrinking media industry.
The Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by grants and a coalition of donors and readers. We retain full editorial independence and are a proud member of the Virginia Press Association and the Virginia Capitol Correspondents Association.
Our staff is composed of five veteran journalists and we also publish original and guest commentary on a range of topics, including politics, environment/climate, education, health, labor, criminal justice, and more. We also consider commentary pieces on other topics, such as arts and culture and media criticism, on a case-by-case basis.
We’re actively seeking opinion pieces from diverse voices. We want to publish perspectives from underrepresented communities, women, young people, and thinkers from all backgrounds with something valuable to say.
The Virginia Mercury generally features progressive commentary, though we are open to considering submissions on policy issues from a range of ideologies. We do not usually accept submissions, however, from declared candidates for public office or sitting elected officials.
While we welcome thoughtful analysis, criticism and opinions in the commentary we publish, we do not condone or publish hate speech, writing that includes stereotypes, or cruel humor that disparages individuals or organizations.
Successful commentary submissions will be between 700-800 words. On occasion, we may consider publishing longer commentary pieces. We only accept submissions of original work that haven’t been pitched or published elsewhere. Please include links and sourcing to expedite fact-checking and use AP style. We don’t require photos to be included in submissions, but please consider suggesting imagery that could visually represent your writing.
We reserve the right to edit all submissions for clarity and factual correctness prior to publication.
Contact Commentary Editor Samantha Willis with submissions: swillis@virginiamercury.com
