Ahead of the November 3 elections, Democracy Works is committed to building voter confidence. Through our tools and partnerships, we’re ensuring voters have the information they need to understand the process and make a plan to vote. Today, we’re giving you a behind-the-scenes look at our research process and how we source accurate, nonpartisan election information.
Voting takes more effort than simply showing up to a polling place on Election Day. Confident participation requires researching candidates and measures on the ballot, completing administrative tasks, sorting through options to cast a ballot, and understanding important dates and deadlines. It’s a lot of information to take in—and the voting landscape is constantly changing.
At Democracy Works, our goal is to make accurate election information accessible and actionable for voters across the country. But how do we do it, and where does this information come from?
To keep voters informed, Democracy Works relies on our team of expert researchers, who make sense out of complexity and turn voting nuances into clear guidance. This research process is a team effort, and we collect data from official sources to ensure voters can access up-to-date information.
Turning to Official Sources
Election officials and other authoritative government resources are the source of truth for all data that we collect. Our Research team uses government sources to track ID requirements, confirm election dates, stay on top of shifting voting procedures, and more. We reference a combination of these official sources:
- State and local election websites: State and local sites are the easiest way to collect location-specific information when it’s available online.
- State and local election officials: When information isn’t posted online, our researchers contact election offices directly via email and phone.
- State legislation and local code: Sometimes, it’s expedient to confirm dates, deadlines, and rules (especially if they have recently changed) by checking laws themselves. Our researchers dive into complex legal texts so that voters don’t have to.
- Federal legislation: Our team references federal laws to confirm existing requirements that apply to multiple states (like the National Voter Registration Act) and track bills that could alter voting procedures nationwide.
- Commission and council meetings: Published notices, minutes, and other documentation from municipal and county bodies help fill the gaps for locating up-to-date election information.
Democracy Works researchers centralize and standardize data from these sources, even when it’s published in different formats across jurisdictions.
Verifying Information
Data collection is the starting point, but not the only step, of sourcing accurate election information. Before we publish our data to voters, it goes through several layers of verification. This ensures that our elections data reflects recent changes and that we’ve interpreted sources correctly.
Democracy Works conducts two rounds of quality assurance to confirm the integrity of our data. These measures give multiple researchers the chance to review the data and correct errors before publication. The QA process is bolstered by cross-checking information across separate authoritative sources, when possible. This tactic ensures that an errant data point, like an outdated voter registration deadline, does not corrupt the dataset and potentially mislead voters.
For elections at the state level and above, our Research team works directly with state election officials to confirm our data. When election administrators review our guidance, they are able to capture state-specific nuances and guarantee that the information is comprehensive.
Because voting procedures are constantly shifting, our team continually monitors for updates at the federal, state, and local levels. Together, these verification methods protect the quality of our data, help us fine-tune our research methods, and equip partners and voters with information they trust.
Supporting Confident Participation
American democracy depends on the voters who show up. During this midterm election year, Democracy Works is empowering Americans with nonpartisan guidance that removes voting barriers, inspires participation, and builds trust.
Our elections data powers our voter engagement platform TurboVote, equipping voters nationwide with trusted guidance, and the Elections API, which enables AI, search, and social platforms to deliver high-quality election information at scale. Together, these solutions give Americans the tools they need to vote successfully, whether they live in a large city or rural community.
Accurate election information is the foundation of this work—our research is the nucleus of the digital infrastructure we build. By supporting our work, you can help voters access trusted information online and participate with confidence. Together, we can make the voting journey easier from registration to Election Day.
