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The Web-based application features data on more than 40,000 officials at the presidential, congressional, gubernatorial and state legislative levels and is captured in part by UA students.

By Rebecca Ruiz-McGill, University Communications
June 15, 2009

Project Vote Smart, a national nonpartisan research organization is offering a free application – available for upload onto Web sites – that captures data on the job performances of more than 40,000 candidates and incumbents at the presidential, congressional, gubernatorial and state legislative levels.

Web site managers can register to receive Project Vote Smart data including voting records, issue positions, grades by special interest groups, speeches, backgrounds and contact information. 

"The new Application Programming Interface (API) puts the most extensive data in existence on elected officials (and candidates during elections) directly on your Web site," said Richard Kimball, Project Vote Smart president.

Kimball said the application is already being used by more than 600 subscribers. "These subscribers stretch from media types like Clear Channel to academics using it for university research."

The data stream can be used as part of any existing Web site and can be designed to look like the Web site of the organization electing to access the data.

"The feeds can be tailored to your needs by issues, by elected officials, candidates, region or almost any division you find useful," Kimball added.

"The data is gathered by volunteers and student interns," said Adelaide Elm Kimball, senior adviser at Project Vote Smart. "The new online tool was designed for the average citizen and much of the data it tracks is gathered right here in Arizona."

Project Vote Smart has a research office on The University of Arizona campus. Dozens of interns staff the office and assist with collecting data for several Project Vote Smart research initiatives.

The research center currently provides the collected data at www.votesmart.org and is available over the toll free Voter's Research Hotline (1-888-VOTE-SMART), a service for those seeking information on federal and state office holders.

"It is superior to anything you can get anywhere, at any price, and it is absolutely free as a public service from the 40,000 contributing members of Project Vote Smart. And our research process ensures no mistakes or biases creep into the data," Mr. Kimball added.

In March, ­Project Vote Smart and FollowTheMoney.org, two nonprofit and nonpartisan organizations, teamed up in March to produce the Legislative Committee Analysis Tool, which allows citizens to easily view state legislative committee rosters alongside campaign donor data.

Relationships and conflicts between special interests and the public interest can further be examined by easy access to other data at Project Vote Smart's Web site.

"Most people do not know of this new kind of application, did not know it was possible or that we would give the data away free. However, we are simply a public library and our job is to distribute the immense factual data our students and staff collect, being the most up-to-date information, we knew such an offer would be very popular," Mr. Kimball added.