Full transparency on our methodology. We show our work so you can decide if our grading is fair.
We grade each representative on five dimensions of accountability. Each component is weighted based on how important it is to accountability:
Do their votes match their stated positions? Do they flip-flop? Do they align with their constituents' interests?
What we measure: Position contradictions (major = -10 points, moderate = -5 points, minor = -2 points), voting flip-flops over time, constituent alignment based on donor geography and district demographics.
Do their public statements contradict each other? Do they preach civility while using inflammatory language?
What we measure: Tone contradictions (civility claims vs. inflammatory rhetoric), consistency between local and national messaging, rhetoric shifts over time.
How transparent are they about their positions and reasoning? Do they avoid difficult topics?
What we measure: Number of stated positions (coverage of key issues), media appearances (local, national, substantive, talking points), accessibility of voting record information.
Do they actually serve their constituents? Are they responsive to district needs?
What we measure: Donor geography alignment (in-district vs. national funding), local social media engagement, town hall frequency and accessibility.
Are their votes influenced by donors? Do they prioritize donor interests over constituent interests?
What we measure: Vote contradictions with top donor industries, priority alignment between campaign funding and legislative focus.
We grade consistency, not ideology. A conservative who votes conservatively and a liberal who votes liberally both get high grades (as long as they're consistent). A conservative who votes one way and talks another gets a low grade, regardless of party.
Contradictions must be genuine. We filter out false positives with five guardrail rules: the positions must be at least 30 characters (to rule out frivolous claims), directly related to the vote, not omnibus bills, not procedural tricks, and pass a "is this hypocritical?" test with AI review.
We show our work. Every contradiction includes the source (link to the vote, quote, date). You can verify our work yourself. We encourage it.
Data is updated daily. Grades are recalculated as new votes happen. Last vote was yesterday. Next update is tomorrow. You're always looking at current information.