Sample ballot lookup tools

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Sample ballot lookup tools are digital services that provide voters with the ability to determine which offices, candidates, and ballot questions will appear on their election ballots before they go to the polls. These tools, which can be produced by state and local governments as well as private organizations, take a wide variety of forms. For example, some require a voter to enter his or her address in order to generate a sample ballot tailored to his or her specific location. Other sample ballot lookup tools simply list a variety of sample ballots by location, requiring the user to select the applicable ballot.

As the forms of these tools vary, so too does the level of detail provided by each. Some sample ballot lookup tools permit a voter to see every office and ballot question that he or she will be eligible to vote on, from federal offices down to municipal offices. Others only provide information about federal and state-level races.

Compiled on this page is a comprehensive listing of the various sample ballot lookup tools available to voters. Click the tabs below to learn more about sample ballot tools.

Note: Some state and local governments, as well as private organizations, circulate printed sample ballots to voters in advance of elections. These services are not discussed in this article.

Background

See also: Eight Quality Benchmarks for a Sample Ballot Lookup Tool

There are eight major criteria by which one can compare and contrast sample ballot lookup tools, which you can click here to read more about:

1. Data accuracy
2. Precision of location
3. Quality assurance
4. Clarity of scope
5. Depth of information
6. Length of availability
7. Source transparency
8. Transparency about user data

State-run services

Note: If you are aware of a state-run sample ballot lookup tool that should be covered here, please email us. As of September 30, 2020, at least 34 states sponsored sample ballot lookup tools. These came in two basic forms:

1. Interactive tools: Often incorporated as elements of online voter registration systems, interactive sample ballot tools require a user to enter his or her name or address. Upon doing so, the tool will generate a sample ballot tailored to the user's location. As of September 30, 2020, 25 of the 34 state-run sample ballot services were interactive.

Example: Indiana's sample ballot tool (click on "Who's On My Ballot"

2. Clearinghouses: A state-run sample ballot clearinghouse provides links to sample ballots, usually organized by county, municipality, electoral district, or precinct. The user is required to select the appropriate ballot manually. As of September 30, 2020, six of the 31 state-run sample ballot services were clearinghouses.

Example: Kentucky's sample ballot service

The table below includes links to each state's sample ballot service, as well as a description of the service type.

Note: Because elections are often administered at the county level, individual counties may also provide sample ballot lookup tools. Contact your county election official for more information.

State-run sample ballot services
State	Link	Service type
Alabama	Link	Clearinghouse
Alaska	Link	Clearinghouse
Colrado	Link	Interactive
Connecticut	Link	Clearinghouse
Delaware	Link	Interactive
Georgia	Link	Interactive
Hawaii	Link	Interactive
Indiana	Link	Interactive
Kentucky	Link	Clearinghouse
Louisiana	Link	Interactive
Maryland	Link	Interactive
Michigan	Link	Interactive
Minnesota	Link	Interactive
Mississipi	Link	Clearinghouse
Missouri	Link	Interactive
Montana	Link	Interactive
Nebraska	Link	Clearinghouse
Nevada	Link	Clearinghouse
New Hampshire	Link	Clearinghouse
New Mexico	Link	Interactive
North Carolina	Link	Interactive
North Dakota	Link	Interactive
Ohio	Link	Clearinghouse
Oklahoma	Link	Interactive
Rhode Island	Link	Interactive
South Carolina	Link	Interactive
South Dakota	Link	Interactive
Tennessee	Link	Interactive
Texas	Link	Interactive (local, state, federal offices only)
Utah	Link	Interactive
Vermont	Link	Interactive
Virginia	Link	Interactive
Washington	Link	Interactive
Wisconsin	Link	Interactive

Privately run services

Note: If you are aware of a privately run sample ballot lookup tool that should be covered here, please email us.

Sample ballot tools

Several private organizations sponsor sample ballot services. These are uniformly interactive (that is, they require a user to enter his or her address in order to generate a custom-tailored sample ballot). The level of detail provided by these services varies, however. Of the six major sample ballot services discussed below, all provide details about federal and state elections. Five provide details about select local elections. See the table below for a comparison. The subsections below the table provide further details about these services, which are listed in alphabetical order.

Privately run sample ballot lookup tools
Service	Address or zip code required	Email address required	Sign-up required	Breadth	Federal races covered	State races covered	Local races covered
Ballotpedia's Sample Ballot Lookup				Nationwide			Select
BallotReady				Nationwide			Select
Rock the Vote Election Center				Nationwide			Select
VIP Voting Information Tool				Nationwide			Select
Vote411.org				Nationwide			Select
Vote USA				Nationwide

Ballotpedia's Sample Ballot Lookup

Depth: Federal, state, and select local elections

Breadth: Nationwide

User disclosure: Zip code (email address optional)

Associated organizations: None

Link: Ballotpedia's Sample Ballot Lookup

Ballotpedia's Sample Ballot Lookup requires a user to enter his or her address in order to generate a customized sample ballot (the user may choose to enter his or her email address, but it is not required). The ballot includes information about all federal and state-level elections. In addition, the sample ballot tool includes information for local elections in the 100 largest U.S. cities by population, and select local ballot measures.^[1] In 2022, we launched a new approach to further expanding our local election coverage, with an emphasis on states where the state government provides local candidate lists. Our ultimate goal is to cover every election in the United States.

BallotReady

Depth: Federal, state, and select local elections

Breadth: Nationwide

User disclosure: Email address and zip code

Associated organizations: National Science Foundation, Knight Foundation, University of Chicago Institute of Politics

Link: BallotReady

BallotReady's stated purpose is to provide "free, nonpartisan background information on every candidate and referendum on a voter's ballot." The BallotReady interactive system includes federal, state and select local elections in all 50 states and Washington DC. BallotReady users are asked to submit his or her full address to generate a sample ballot (called here a “voter guide”).^[2]

BallotReady is produced in partnership with the National Science Foundation (a federal agency that provides funding for research activities), the Knight Foundation (a nonprofit grant-making organization), and the University of Chicago Institute of Politics.^[2]

Rock the Vote Election Center

Depth: Federal, state, and select local elections

Breadth: Nationwide

User disclosure: Address

Associated organizations: Rock the Vote

Link: Rock the Vote, Find Your Polling PLace

Rock the Vote's Election Center requires a user to select his or her home state from an interactive map and provide an address to access information on deadlines for voter registration, requesting and returning mail ballots. Users can also verify their voter registration status by entering their name, address, email address and date of birth. In addition, a user can locate his or her polling place and access other election-related information, such as polling hours and voter identification requirements.^[3][4]

Founded in 1990, Rock the Vote is a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization whose self-described mission is "driving the youth vote to the polls."^[5]

"Get To The Polls" VIP Voting Information Tool

Depth: Federal, state, and select local elections

Breadth: Nationwide

User disclosure: Address

Associated organizations: Pew Charitable Trusts, Google

Link: Get To The Polls

The Voting Information Project, in partnership with states, the Pew Charitable Trusts, and Google, provides various tools in “open format to make election data available and accessible, using technology to ensure that all eligible Americans have the information they need to cast a ballot.” VIP’s “Get To The Polls” tool requires a user to enter his or her address and provides user-specific information on early voting sites, polling locations and hours, and mail ballot drop box locations. Get To The Polls also provides links to local and state resources with information on voter registration, sample ballots and voting rules.^[6]

Vote411.org

Depth: Federal, state, and select local elections

Breadth: Nationwide

User disclosure: Address

Associated organizations: League of Women Voters Education Fund, e.thePeople

Link: Vote411.org

Founded in 2006 by the League of Women Voters Education Fund, Vote411.org endeavors to provide a "one-stop-shop" for election information. In addition to providing details about polling place locations and voting procedures, Vote411.org features a “Your Voters’ Guide” tool that generates a sample ballot based on the address entered by the user. The amount of information provided by the “Your Voters’ Guide” tool varies greatly from state to state. Some users will find complete lists of local, state and federal candidates, basic biographical information, candidate questionnaires, as well as local and state referenda on their upcoming ballot; other users will find more limited information.^[7][8]

Established in 1920, the League of Women Voters is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that "encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy."^[9]

Vote USA

Depth: Federal and state elections

Breadth: Nationwide

User disclosure: Address

Associated organizations: Multiple

Link: Vote-USA.org

Founded in 2004, Vote USA is a sample ballot service whose mission is "to provide a customized sample ballot for any address in the country that [allows] voters to compare the candidates' bios, pictures, and, most importantly, their positions and views on the issues in an easy side-by-side format." A user is required to enter his or her address in order to generate a sample ballot and information about candidates for federal and state-level offices.^[10]

Vote USA is associated with a number of partner organizations. A full list of these organizations can be accessed here.

Providers

e.thePeople

E.thePeople is a "provider of interactive voter guide software." This nonprofit, nonpartisan organization develops the software behind several sample ballot lookup tools, including the AARP Voter Guide and Vote411.org. In addition, e.thePeople partners with several state and local newspapers to create interactive sample ballot tools geared specifically to the readers of those publications. Partner publications include the Denver Post, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and the Dallas Morning News.^[11]

Defunct services

Note: If you are aware of a defunct sample ballot lookup tool that should be covered here, please email us.

AARP Voter Guide

Depth: Federal and state elections

Breadth: Nationwide

User disclosure: Address

Associated organizations: AARP, e.thePeople

Link: AARP Voter Guide

As of July 2, 2019, the AARP Voter Guide link redirected to a page featuring news articles related to government and elections.^[12]

Change Politics

Depth: Federal and state elections

Breadth: Nationwide

User disclosure: Address and sign-up (either through Facebook or by entering name and email address)

Associated organizations: Change.org

Link: changepolitics.org

The website, "changepolitics.org" began redirecting to the general "change.org" site in early September 2016, following an announcement on Change.org's blog about changes at the company."^[13]

A user was required to enter his or her address in order to generate a sample ballot. In addition, a user was required to either sign up for an account or use his or her Facebook account in order to log in. The ballot listed candidates for federal and state-level offices. Users could also support candidates via the sample ballot service; these endorsements could then be read by other users. As of August 2016, it did not appear that the service provided any other information about candidates. At that time, the service was still in beta form.

Change.org sponsored the changepolitics sample ballot service. Change.org is a digital petition platform.^[14]

Really Vote

Depth: Federal and state elections

Breadth: Nationwide

User disclosure: City/town or Address

Associated organizations: None

Link: Really Vote

Really Vote requires a user to enter his or her address, or just city/town, to access information on current federal and statewide office holders and recent election results. As of September 29, 2020, no information is provided on any candidates for state or federal offices in the November 2020 elections. Current office holders and candidate names link to Ballotpedia profiles.^[15]

See also

External links

Privately run sample ballot lookup tools

• BallotReady
• Rock the Vote Election Center
• Vote411.org
• Vote USA
• Voter's Edge (California voters' guide only)

Footnotes