Methodology
This page explains how Ballot Clarity writes summaries, shows sources, marks uncertainty, and handles corrections.
How to read page signals
Page signals are meant to keep sources, freshness, and uncertainty visible where a voter is already reading.
Read about our process
Source access
- Source panels keep full source lists one click away from the page header and major claim blocks.
- Claim-level summaries use source buttons so a user can inspect supporting records without losing context.
Freshness
- Freshness labels show when a page or source was last updated.
- Status labels like Up to date or Incomplete are paired with short explanations.
Uncertainty
- Uncertainty notes explain what is known and what still needs checking.
- They are informational only and should not be read as endorsements or probability judgments.
How summaries are generated
Published summaries are written from public records and reviewed before they appear in a guide.
Summaries are meant to describe what is documented, not tell people how to vote.
How sources are attached
Major summaries and source-backed blocks link back to source records.
Source counts and drawers are meant to help readers verify a page without losing their place.
High-risk claims and quote handling
Serious allegations, edited quotes, and disputed claims require a narrower drafting posture than routine biography or issue summaries.
Transcripts, official records, and candidate-submitted statements should preserve meaning rather than be trimmed into a sharper claim.
Information only, not advice
Ballot Clarity is informational, not advisory. The product should not tell users who to support, rank candidates, or hide tradeoffs behind a single score.
The compare page is intentionally tabular and neutral. It shows differences in record and funding without turning elections into a leaderboard.
Information types we publish
Ballot Clarity separates information into distinct source channels: official text, official record data, candidate-supplied material, Ballot Clarity plain-language summaries, and other nonpartisan supporting records.
Those labels are meant to help users understand which parts of a page are official wording, which parts are direct submissions, and which parts are explanatory context.
How ballot measures are explained
Ballot measure pages separate current law or current practice from the proposed change, then show mirrored YES and NO outcomes so the legal effect and status quo can be compared cleanly.
Implementation timing, fiscal notes, and attributed support or opposition arguments are split into separate sections so explanatory text does not blend into advocacy voice.
Editorial governance and update cadence
Pages should show update timestamps and official election links where the data model supports them.
Readers should verify time-sensitive deadlines, locations, and rules with the election office.
Corrections and disputes
Ballot Clarity has a public correction path.
Material changes should be logged visibly rather than rewritten without notice.
Privacy and personalization
Address lookup helps match districts and ballot coverage. ZIP codes and IP-based guesses are approximate; a full street address is the strongest input for exact matching.
Ballot Clarity keeps the data-use explanation near the lookup form and explains storage details in the privacy notice.
Nonpartisan operating posture
Ballot Clarity does not rank, endorse, or score candidates or measures.
Explanatory text is kept separate from advocacy.
Limitations and uncertainty
Public data is incomplete, uneven across race types, and often delayed. Challengers usually have fewer public records than incumbents, and local races can depend heavily on meeting minutes or questionnaires.
Coverage notes and uncertainty labels are meant to show those limits plainly.