How we research and build each brief
When you click "Get briefing" on a race, here is exactly what happens.
What we research for every candidate
For each candidate, we research their positions across six core issue areas. Not every issue is relevant to every race — a water district board candidate may not have a healthcare position — but these topics guide our research to ensure consistency across briefings.
For each candidate, we present their most distinctive policy position in plain language — focused on what they propose to do, not how they describe themselves or their campaign tone.
How we select and present endorsements
Endorsements are presented as informational signals — who is backing a candidate tells voters something meaningful about that candidate's political alignment and priorities. We apply consistent criteria to what qualifies as a relevant endorsement.
- Elected officials and political figures
- Political parties and party caucuses
- Labor unions and worker organizations
- Civic and advocacy organizations
- Major newspaper editorial boards
- Community and neighborhood organizations
- Celebrities and entertainers
- Athletes and sports figures
- Private individuals without political office or organizational role
- Duplicate local chapters when parent organization is listed
We prioritize the most significant endorsements for each specific candidate. A grassroots candidate's most important endorsers may be local organizations — those are listed even if they are smaller than a statewide union. Maximum 5 endorsements are shown per candidate.
Where our information comes from
Ballot Brief uses live web search to pull from publicly available sources at the time each briefing is generated. Primary sources include:
How we define metro areas
Ballot Brief uses the U.S. Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Core Based Statistical Area (CBSA) definitions to determine metro boundaries. CBSAs are the official federal standard for defining metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas based on population density and economic ties between counties.
When you enter your address, we match it against a database of 4,000+ zip codes mapped to their corresponding CBSA — the same geographic standard used by the U.S. Census Bureau, HUD, and most federal agencies. This ensures our metro definitions are consistent, reproducible, and grounded in official data rather than arbitrary boundaries.
We currently cover 15 major metropolitan areas across the United States, selected based on population size and electoral significance. Our goal is full national coverage by 2027.
Be informed - understand what Ballot Brief can and cannot do
Ballot Brief is intended to be one resource among many to help you make informed voting decisions. We encourage consulting multiple sources, including official voter guides, local news, and candidate websites, before casting your ballot. The following limitations are important to understand before relying on any information presented here.
Ballot Brief is a nonpartisan civic tool built to increase voter participation. We have no political affiliation, are ad-free, and have no interest in which way you vote. If you believe a briefing contains an error, please visit our contact page or email us at hello@ballotbrief.us and we will review it.