Job description
Ballotpedia, Encyclopedia of American Politics, is excited to announce that applications are open for the Fall 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 Fall 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 Fall 2025 Ballotpedia Fellows Program will run from Monday, September 22, 2025, through Friday, November 21, 2025. Fellows are asked to contribute 5-10 hours of work per week, which can be completed on a flexible schedule to accommodate school, extracurricular activities, and other commitments. Upon request, Ballotpedia is happy to provide documentation for community service hours, course credit, or other relevant verification required by a participant’s school or organization. Fellows will need access to a computer or laptop and a reliable internet connection.
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 fall, 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: Wednesday, September 3, 2025
Application screening and response: Rolling responses through September 12, 2025
Onboarding: Monday, September 22 - Friday, September 26, 2025
To Apply
Interested applicants should submit their application, resume, and cover letter by selecting “Apply for this job” below and completing the form. Applications for this unpaid, volunteer position are reviewed on a rolling basis, and offers will be sent via email. Please note that the program has limited capacity, and positions are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Please note that applicants might not hear from Ballotpedia regarding the initial status of their application until late-August. If you have any questions about the program, please email [email protected].
