Ballot Awareness is built to inform voters, not to profile them. This policy explains, in plain language, what limited data the site collects, how it is used, who else is involved, and the choices you have.
We do not require accounts. We do not run ads. We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information. We do not build advertising profiles, and we do not set advertising or cross-site tracking cookies. We collect a small amount of privacy-protective, aggregate usage data to understand how the site is used, and we process any message you choose to send us. That is essentially all.
We aim to collect as little as possible. Specifically:
We do not knowingly collect information from children, and the site is intended for a general audience of eligible and soon-to-be-eligible voters.
We use the limited data above only to: operate, secure, and improve the site; understand in aggregate how many people use the guide and which parts are useful; respond to messages you send us; and comply with the law. We do not use your data to advertise to you, and we do not sell it.
We use a small number of service providers to run the site. When you use Ballot Awareness, data may be processed by:
We do not control, and are not responsible for, the privacy practices of third-party websites you reach by clicking links in the guide (for example, official state election sites, Ballotpedia, or news sources). Those sites have their own privacy policies.
We do not use advertising cookies or cross-site tracking cookies, and we do not track you across other websites. Our analytics are cookieless. Because we do not set tracking cookies, this site does not show a cookie consent banner; there is nothing of that kind to consent to. If this ever changes — for example, if we were to add analytics or features that use non-essential cookies — we would update this policy and ask for your consent before setting them.
We use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to help draft and organize the candidate and race summaries on this site, such as compiling background from public sources into short descriptions. AI-assisted content is reviewed against public sources as part of our process, and is intended to be descriptive, not evaluative. AI is used only to help prepare the informational content you read; it is not used to profile you, make decisions about you, or process your personal data. As with any information here, we cannot guarantee it is complete or error-free, and we welcome corrections.
You can use nearly all of the site without providing any personal information: browsing races requires no account and no personal data. Using the address lookup is entirely optional. You can choose not to email us. Depending on where you live, you may have rights under laws such as the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA/CPRA) or the EU/UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), including the right to access, correct, or delete personal information we hold about you, and the right not to be discriminated against for exercising those rights. Because we do not maintain user accounts or sell personal information, the personal data we actually hold is minimal. To make a request or ask a question, contact us at ballotawareness@gmail.com.
We do not sell or share your personal information as those terms are defined under California law.
Aggregate analytics are retained by our analytics provider for a limited period and are not linked to your identity. Emails you send are kept only as long as needed to respond and to maintain a record of corrections. We take reasonable measures to protect the limited information involved, though no method of transmission over the internet is completely secure.
We may update this Privacy Policy as the site evolves or as the law requires. The "last updated" date above reflects the most recent revision. Material changes will be reflected here.
Questions about privacy, or requests regarding your information, can be sent to ballotawareness@gmail.com.