Ballotpedia:Our approach to covering endorsements in support of or opposition to ballot measures

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This page describes Ballotpedia's approach to covering endorsements in support of or opposition to ballot measures. Ballotpedia also covers media editorial endorsements in support of or opposition to ballot measures according to a separate policy (linked).

Guiding principles

Ballotpedia tracks multiple aspects of ballot measure campaigns, including endorsements. Ballotpedia does not feature all endorsements in support of or opposition to ballot measures. Long lists of endorsements aren’t always relevant to our readers, can sometimes reduce the accessibility of endorsements that are important to readers, and can create bias in the presentation of supporters and opponents. Ultimately, the inclusion of an individual or organization as a supporter or opponent of a ballot measure is based on the editorial judgment of Ballotpedia staff after considering the following factors:

  • the endorsement helps readers understand the campaign’s coalition and ideological associations;
  • the endorsement has the potential to influence a voter’s opinion of the measure;
  • the endorsement is relevant to the measure’s implementation and policy area; and
  • the endorsement was made by an individual or group that readers, including high-intensity political readers or journalists, would recognize.

Specific policies

The following endorsements are always included on Ballotpedia's articles:

  • Federal (executive + all states’ congressional members)
    • Incumbents
    • General election candidates
    • Former officials
  • Governors, secretaries of state, and attorneys general
    • Incumbents
    • General election candidates
    • Former officials
  • State legislators, former legislators, and legislative candidates are included if they sponsored the measure or are a prominent part of the campaign.
  • Mayors or full council votes of top 100 cities in the U.S. or top 10 cities in the state by population
  • County boards in which a top 100 city is located
  • Other local officials if they are a prominent part of the campaign
  • Political parties
    • Federal
    • Statewide
    • Local branches of political parties if they are a prominent part of the campaign
  • The following businesses:
    • Those that provided a significant donation to the campaign
    • Notable business that people within the state would know (consider Forbes’ list of America’s largest private companies)
    • Other notable businesses as determined by Ballotpedia staff
  • The following labor unions:
    • National labor organizations
    • Statewide labor organizations
    • Those that provided a significant donation to the campaign
    • Local branches of unions if they are a prominent part of the campaign
  • The following organizations:
    • Those that provided a significant donation to the campaign
    • Organizations with national or statewide reach
    • Local organizations if they are a prominent part of the campaign
  • Other individuals if
    • they provided a significant donation to the campaign
    • are well-known and have a prominent campaign role (leadership, appearance in campaign ads, etc.)

If you know of an endorsement that fits these criteria that should be listed on one of Ballotpedia's articles, please email editor@ballotpedia.org.

See also

v • e
Ballotpedia policy explainers
Candidates and officeholders
Election coverage
How we choose battleground elections • How we cover primaries • How we order candidate lists • How we cover polls • How we cover endorsements • How we cover campaign finance and satellite spending • How we decide when to update vote totals on and after election night • How we decide when to call an election • How we decide when to cover a recall effort • How we cover election lawsuits and recounts • How we write ballot measure article titles • How we write original summaries of ballot measures • How we cover endorsements in support of or opposition to ballot measures • How we cover media editorial endorsements in support of or opposition to ballot measures • How we cover ballot measure campaign finance • How we calculate initiative signature petition costs • The Ballotpedia Power Index • How we handle court-ordered postponements of election dates and candidate filing deadlines
Scope, editorial approach, and other policies
Ballotpedia's overall scope • Elections editorial approach • Federal government editorial approach • State government editorial approach • Local government editorial approach • Influencers editorial approach • Fact check editorial approach • Public Policy editorial approach • Editorial policy • Writing about key campaign messages • Writing about reports and analyses • Story selection for the Daily Presidential News Briefing • Story selection for presidential election news events • Editorial independence policy • Partnership with Transparency USA • Criminal behavior and scandal policy • Ad policy • Privacy policy • MyVote privacy policy • Plagiarism policy • Image use policy • Copyright policy • Error correction policy • Content accuracy policy • Generative AI policy • Neutral point of view policy • Categories of bias • General disclaimer
v • e
Ballotpedia
About
Editorial Content
Geoff Pallay, Director of Editorial Content and Editor-in-Chief • Ken Carbullido, Vice President of Election Product and Technology Strategy • Daniel Anderson, Managing Editor • Ryan Byrne, Managing Editor • Cory Eucalitto, Managing Editor • Mandy Gillip, Managing Editor • Doug Kronaizl, Local Elections Project Manager • Jaclyn Beran • Marielle Bricker • Joseph Brusgard • Emma Burlingame • Kelly Coyle • Thomas Ellis • Nicole Fisher • Brianna Galatioto • Joseph Greaney • Thomas Grobben • Jaime Healy-Plotkin • Tyler King • Glorie Martinez • Roneka Matheny • Nathan Maxwell • Ellie Mikus • Jackie Mitchell • Ellen Morrissey • Mackenzie Murphy • Kaley Platek • Samantha Post • Adam Powell • Ethan Rice • Spencer Richardson • Victoria Rose • Briana Ryan • Myj Saintyl • Maddy Salucka • Maddie Sinclair Johnson • Abbey Smith • Janie Valentine • Joel Williams • Samuel Wonacott • Trenton Woodcox • Mercedes Yanora
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