Whether you're a student, educator, or community member, the Ballotpedia Volunteer Program offers flexible opportunities to contribute to nonpartisan election research while gaining valuable hands-on civic experience.
As a volunteer, you'll help expand access to reliable, nonpartisan information about candidates and elections while strengthening the availability of local election information nationwide.
It can be difficult for voters to find reliable information about candidates on their ballot, especially in local elections. This gap in accessible information is what we call the ballot information problem.
Ballotpedia is a neutral, nonpartisan encyclopedia of American politics that provides election information across the United States at the federal, state, and local levels. This includes information about candidates, elected officials, and appointed officeholders across all levels of government.
The 100 largest U.S. cities
Mayors, city councils, and district attorneys in all 50 state capitals
School board elections in the 200 largest school districts
Expanded local election coverage across 32 states in 2026
Ballotpedia is continuing to expand our local election coverage state by state to increase the availability of reliable, nonpartisan information about more local elections nationwide.
Ballotpedia plans to eventually cover all elected officials in the country, and we need YOUR help getting there!
Ballotpedia volunteers research assigned local candidates on our database to help expand the availability of reliable, nonpartisan information about elections nationwide.
Volunteers research and collect publicly available candidate information, including campaign websites, contact details, and other data that help strengthen and improve candidate profiles on Ballotpedia.org. Candidate email addresses are also used to invite candidates to complete Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection Survey
Through this work, volunteers help expand Ballotpedia's nonpartisan local election coverage and make candidate information more accessible to voters.
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- This volunteer position is flexible and designed to fit your schedule and level of commitment.
- Volunteers complete the Volunteer Training Academy at their own pace and pass a short quiz to receive access to Ballotpedia's research database.
- There is no required time commitment, and volunteers can contribute as often as they would like.
- Community Researchers collect two key data points on candidates, including campaign websites and email addresses.
- The Fellows Program is an eight-week service-oriented volunteer experience designed for high school, college, and lifelong learners.
- This program runs every spring, summer, and fall. Fellows apply and are selected to participate in each cohort.
- After completing onboarding and the Volunteer Training Academy, Fellows contribute approximately 5 to 10 hours per week during the eight-week program.
- Fellows receive training to research advanced data points, including contact information, endorsements, and campaign themes on local candidates
- Trusted Researchers are experienced volunteers who expand their role within Ballotpedia’s Volunteer Program.
- To qualify, volunteers must complete an 8-week Fellows Program or demonstrate strong research qualifications as a Community or a Student Researcher, including completion of at least 40 candidates researched.
- Trusted Researchers provide quality assurance support, contribute to advanced research initiatives, and conduct more robust candidate research, including endorsements and campaign themes.
- This role typically requires 5 to 10 hours of volunteer service per month.
- To learn more about this volunteer opportunity, please check out the Trusted Researcher Volunteer Position Description
- Current volunteers interested in applying should complete the Trusted Research Interest Form.
- The Student Researcher Program provides high school and college students with hands-on political research experience that can be integrated into classroom learning.
- Educators set the structure and expectations for participation. Students complete approximately 30 minutes of self-led training before gaining access to the Ballotpedia database.
- Students research assigned local candidates, helping expand the availability of nonpartisan election information nationwide while earning course credit.
- For more information about this program, please check out the Student Researcher Program Overview.
- Educators interested in participating should complete the Student Researcher Interest Form.
- The Civic Partnership Program allows civic-minded organizations and volunteer groups to partner with Ballotpedia to help expand access to reliable, nonpartisan election information.
- Through this program, partner organizations can refer volunteers to Ballotpedia and support local election research while earning discounts toward eligible Ballotpedia data sales.
- Referred volunteers complete Ballotpedia's standard volunteer onboarding process and contribute to research projects focused on local candidates and elections.
- For more information about this program, please check out the Civic Partnership Program Overview.
“The Ballotpedia Fellows Program has been an incredible opportunity to sharpen my research skills while contributing to a mission I believe in—making political information accessible and unbiased. The training and support I’ve received from the Ballotpedia team have helped me grow as a civic-minded professional, and I’m leaving the program with a deeper understanding of how to communicate complex policy issues clearly and accurately.”
-Daniel Paulus, Spring 2025 Fellow
“The Ballotpedia Volunteer Program was an informative experience that allowed me to do my part in solving the misinformation crisis among voters, without having to sacrifice my other commitments. I would highly recommend it for anyone who has some extra time on their hands, and I am looking forward to working with Ballotpedia in the future!”
-Kayla Hill, Trusted Researcher
“The Fellows Program was the highlight of my semester! As a college student who enjoys civics and research, this experience was perfect for me!”
-Edan MacNaughton, Fall 2025 Fellow
