Ballotpedia

U.S. center-right leaning, self-described nonpartisan

Background

Ballotpedia was founded in 2007 by Leslie Graves as a nonpartisan digital resource to track state ballot measures, later expanding to cover elections, candidates, judges, and public policy across all levels of U.S. government. It is run by the Lucy Burns Institute, a nonprofit named after a suffragist, and has grown into one of the largest reference databases on American elections, prized by journalists, researchers, and campaigns for its detailed, sourced entries. Ballotpedia has faced periodic scrutiny over its funding sources, since some grants have been traced to conservative and libertarian-aligned donor networks such as DonorsTrust, leading some media watchdogs to question whether its selection and framing of topics carries a subtle right-leaning tilt, particularly on issues like judicial nominations and election administration. The organization has pushed back on these characterizations, emphasizing its sourcing standards and volunteer/staff fact-checking process. Unlike traditional outlets, Ballotpedia rarely publishes original opinion or investigative journalism; its core product is structured reference content (candidate profiles, bill trackers, court case summaries) rather than narrative reporting. It has become a widely cited resource by outlets across the political spectrum, including in fact-checking and voter guides, which lends it a reputation for reliability even as questions about funding transparency persist. Its coverage of the Trump administration has generally taken the form of neutral, ledger-style tracking of executive actions, appointments, and court rulings rather than editorial commentary.

Sources

1. Ballotpedia - About
2. Media Bias/Fact Check - Ballotpedia
3. Columbia Journalism Review - Ballotpedia funding scrutiny

Profile compiled 2026-09-26; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.

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