Offer summary

Qualifications:

Passion for politics and commitment to providing unbiased information., Strong self-starter with the ability to work independently., Interest in data science and research skills., Ability to conduct thorough research and ensure accuracy..

Key responsibilities:

Conduct research on local candidates for upcoming elections.

Build and update candidate profiles with critical data points.

Perform quality assurance checks on research conducted by peers.

Collaborate with the team to improve research processes and standards.

Job description

Ballotpedia, Encyclopedia of American Politics, is excited to announce that applications are open for the Summer 2025 class of our Ballotpedia Volunteer Fellows Program!

As a Ballotpedia Fellow, you will work to expand our data-driven analysis of American politics. Our Summer 2025 program will be highly focused on research of local candidates from around the nation who are on the ballot in upcoming 2025 local elections.

The Summer 2025 Ballotpedia Fellows Program will run from Monday, July 14, 2025, through Friday, September 12, 2025. Fellows are asked to contribute 5-10 hours of work per week, which can be completed at their discretion in order to accommodate school schedules, extracurricular activities, and work commitments. Fellows need access to a computer or laptop and a reliable internet connection. Fellows who meet the requirements are eligible for a nationally recognized service honor awarded by Ballotpedia.

Requirements

You love politics and are passionate about Ballotpedia’s mission to provide American voters with unbiased, factual information.
You are a strong self-starter and thrive in an independent environment. All questions and feedback are welcome at Ballotpedia, so we want our Fellows to speak up when they see a problem or notice a way we can improve our processes!
You think data science is fascinating, whether you are familiar with how to do it or not.
You love research - the discovery of information and the thrill of the chase is exciting.
Most of all, you believe that every voter deserves quality information before voting, no matter the level of government.

Available Projects

This summer, our fellows will be working on projects that will likely include the following:

Local candidate research: Ballotpedia aims to cover every election in the country. As part of our coverage efforts, you will work to build out more complete local candidate profiles on Ballotpedia using the same research standards we use for full-time staff. Your research will ensure that millions of voters have access to detailed information about the local candidates on their ballot. You will research assigned candidates from across the country, gathering critical data points on them, including contact information, social media profiles, and campaign websites.

Quality assurance: Ballotpedia takes our commitment to quality and accuracy extremely seriously, and our Quality Assurance Assistants help us ensure the highest level of research. As a Quality Assurance Assistant, you will receive a spreadsheet of candidates with attributes that were found by other fellows. After conducting the research again, you will ensure that the content is accurate and complete.

Application Timeline
Application deadline: Tuesday, June 24, 2025
Application screening and response: Rolling, Monday, May 19 - Thursday, July 3, 2025
Decision notification: by Thursday, July 3, 2025
Onboarding: Monday, July 14 - Friday, July 18, 2025

To Apply
Interested applicants should submit their applications, resumes, and cover letters as soon as possible by selecting 'Apply for this job' below and filling out the form. Applications for the unpaid volunteer position will be accepted on a rolling basis, and offers will be sent via email.

Please note that applicants might not hear from Ballotpedia regarding the initial status of their application until late-May. If you have any questions about the program, please email fellows@Ballotpedia.org.

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