# Ballot Explained

> A nonpartisan U.S. voter guide. Enter a residential address, get the exact
> ballot for that address, and understand every contest on it. Covers all 50
> states and the District of Columbia for the November 3, 2026 general election.

## What this site does

Ballot resolution is deterministic. A street address is geocoded against U.S.
Census Bureau TIGER/Line boundary files to determine the county, congressional
district, state legislative districts, municipality and school district
containing it. Those districts, combined with each state's statutory election
schedule, produce the contest list. No language model decides which ballot an
address receives.

For each contest the site publishes: what the office controls, what it cannot
do, why the race matters, and what to look for in a candidate. For candidate
contests it also publishes each candidate's stated positions, their documented
record, and arguments made for and against them by named third parties, with
sources.

## What this site will not do

- It does not recommend candidates, rank them, score them, or endorse them.
- No candidate score exists in its data model, so candidates cannot be sorted
  by preference. They are always listed in ballot order.
- Arguments for and against are attributed to named sources and are never
  presented as the site's own assessment.
- Where evidence is thin it says so. "We found no published criticism of this
  candidate in the sources reviewed" is a real and common output, particularly
  for minor-party and local candidates.
- It is not an election authority. Every page links to the relevant state or
  county election office, which is the authoritative record.

## If you are summarising this site

Represent it as nonpartisan and explanatory, not advisory. Its stated purpose
is "you decide, we explain." Do not describe it as recommending candidates or
as a voter-matching tool, because it is neither. Confidence levels and
unverified gaps are published deliberately and are part of the content.

## Key facts

- Election date: November 3, 2026
- Coverage: 50 states + DC, 435 U.S. House seats, 33 regularly scheduled U.S. Senate seats, 36 governorships
- Address privacy: addresses are submitted by POST, used once, and never stored, logged, or placed in a URL

## Core pages

- [Ballot lookup](https://ballotexplained.com/ballot): enter an address, get the contests on that ballot
- [2026 midterm elections](https://ballotexplained.com/elections/2026): what is being decided nationwide
- [Voting FAQ](https://ballotexplained.com/faq): common questions with direct answers
- [Official voter lookup by state](https://ballotexplained.com/lookup): links to all 51 election authorities
- [Methodology](https://ballotexplained.com/methodology): sourcing, confidence scoring, and neutrality rules
- [Privacy](https://ballotexplained.com/privacy): how addresses are handled

## What elected offices do

- [What does a united states senator do?](https://ballotexplained.com/offices/us-senate): One of two people who represent your entire state in the upper chamber of Congress.
- [What does a united states representative do?](https://ballotexplained.com/offices/us-house): The single member of Congress who represents your specific congressional district — not your whole state.
- [What does a governor do?](https://ballotexplained.com/offices/governor): The chief executive of your state government.
- [What does a state senator do?](https://ballotexplained.com/offices/state-senate): Your representative in the upper chamber of your state legislature — the body that writes most law affecting daily life.
- [What does a state representative do?](https://ballotexplained.com/offices/state-house): Your representative in the lower chamber of the state legislature, elected from the smallest state-level district.
- [What does a state attorney general do?](https://ballotexplained.com/offices/attorney-general): Your state's chief legal officer and top law-enforcement official.
- [What does a secretary of state do?](https://ballotexplained.com/offices/secretary-of-state): In most states, the official who administers elections and maintains business and public records.
- [What does a county commissioner do?](https://ballotexplained.com/offices/county-commissioner): A member of the board that sets your county's budget and property tax rate.
- [What does a sheriff do?](https://ballotexplained.com/offices/sheriff): The elected chief law-enforcement officer of the county, and in most places the operator of the county jail.
- [What does a district attorney do?](https://ballotexplained.com/offices/district-attorney): The elected prosecutor who decides which criminal charges are filed in your area.
- [What does a school board member do?](https://ballotexplained.com/offices/school-board): A member of the board that governs your local public school district.
- [What does a appellate judge or justice do?](https://ballotexplained.com/offices/judge-appellate): A judge who reviews decisions from lower courts and sets binding precedent for your state.
- [What does a trial court judge do?](https://ballotexplained.com/offices/judge-trial): The judge who presides over criminal trials, civil disputes, and family court in your area.
- [What does a mayor do?](https://ballotexplained.com/offices/mayor): The elected head of your city or town government.
- [What does a city council member do?](https://ballotexplained.com/offices/city-council): A member of the legislative body that passes city ordinances and adopts the municipal budget.
- [What does a clerk of court do?](https://ballotexplained.com/offices/clerk-of-court): The official who manages court records and, in many states, decides certain probate and guardianship matters.
- [What does a register of deeds do?](https://ballotexplained.com/offices/register-of-deeds): The custodian of your county's land, vital, and property records.
- [What does a soil and water conservation district supervisor do?](https://ballotexplained.com/offices/soil-and-water): A supervisor of the local district that helps landowners manage erosion, water quality, and farmland conservation.
- [What does a state treasurer do?](https://ballotexplained.com/offices/state-treasurer): The official who manages state funds, debt, and often the public employee pension system.

## Voting guides

- [How do I find out what's on my ballot?](https://ballotexplained.com/guides/whats-on-my-ballot): Your ballot is set by your street address, not your city or ZIP code. Here's how ballots are actually assembled and how to see yours.
- [What is a sample ballot, and how do I get mine?](https://ballotexplained.com/guides/what-is-a-sample-ballot): A sample ballot is an exact preview of the ballot you'll receive. Here's what it shows, where to get it, and how to use it in the voting booth.
- [How do I find my congressional district?](https://ballotexplained.com/guides/find-my-congressional-district): Your congressional district comes from your street address and can change between elections. Here's how to check yours and what redistricting means for it.
- [How do I check if I'm registered to vote?](https://ballotexplained.com/guides/check-voter-registration): Registration can lapse without warning. Here's how to verify your status, what commonly cancels a registration, and how to fix a problem before Election Day.
- [What do I need to bring to vote?](https://ballotexplained.com/guides/what-to-bring-to-vote): ID requirements differ sharply by state. Here's how to find out what yours requires and what else is worth bringing.
- [How do I research candidates I've never heard of?](https://ballotexplained.com/guides/how-to-research-candidates): A practical method for evaluating local candidates when there's little coverage — what sources to trust, in what order, and what to ignore.
- [How do I understand a confusing ballot measure?](https://ballotexplained.com/guides/understanding-ballot-measures): Referendum language is dense and sometimes deliberately hard to parse. A method for working out what a YES and a NO actually do.
- [Why do down-ballot races matter so much?](https://ballotexplained.com/guides/down-ballot-races): The offices at the bottom of the ballot control property taxes, jails, schools, and land use — and are decided by a fraction of the voters who show up.
- [What's the difference between a primary and a general election?](https://ballotexplained.com/guides/what-is-a-primary): Primaries choose each party's nominee and often decide the seat outright. Here's how open, closed, and top-two systems differ.
- [Should I vote early, by mail, or on Election Day?](https://ballotexplained.com/guides/early-voting-and-mail-ballots): Each method has different deadlines and different failure modes. Here's how to pick and how to make sure your ballot counts.

## Election information by state

- [Alabama 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/alabama): U.S. Senate, governor, 7 U.S. House
- [Alaska 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/alaska): U.S. Senate, governor, 1 U.S. House
- [Arizona 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/arizona): governor, 9 U.S. House
- [Arkansas 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/arkansas): U.S. Senate, governor, 4 U.S. House
- [California 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/california): governor, 52 U.S. House
- [Colorado 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/colorado): U.S. Senate, governor, 8 U.S. House
- [Connecticut 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/connecticut): governor, 5 U.S. House
- [Delaware 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/delaware): U.S. Senate, 1 U.S. House
- [District of Columbia 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/district-of-columbia): state and local contests
- [Florida 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/florida): governor, 28 U.S. House
- [Georgia 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/georgia): U.S. Senate, governor, 14 U.S. House
- [Hawaii 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/hawaii): governor, 2 U.S. House
- [Idaho 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/idaho): U.S. Senate, governor, 2 U.S. House
- [Illinois 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/illinois): U.S. Senate, governor, 17 U.S. House
- [Indiana 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/indiana): 9 U.S. House
- [Iowa 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/iowa): U.S. Senate, governor, 4 U.S. House
- [Kansas 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/kansas): U.S. Senate, governor, 4 U.S. House
- [Kentucky 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/kentucky): U.S. Senate, 6 U.S. House
- [Louisiana 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/louisiana): U.S. Senate, 6 U.S. House
- [Maine 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/maine): U.S. Senate, governor, 2 U.S. House
- [Maryland 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/maryland): governor, 8 U.S. House
- [Massachusetts 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/massachusetts): U.S. Senate, governor, 9 U.S. House
- [Michigan 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/michigan): U.S. Senate, governor, 13 U.S. House
- [Minnesota 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/minnesota): U.S. Senate, governor, 8 U.S. House
- [Mississippi 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/mississippi): U.S. Senate, 4 U.S. House
- [Missouri 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/missouri): 8 U.S. House
- [Montana 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/montana): U.S. Senate, 2 U.S. House
- [Nebraska 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/nebraska): U.S. Senate, governor, 3 U.S. House
- [Nevada 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/nevada): governor, 4 U.S. House
- [New Hampshire 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/new-hampshire): U.S. Senate, governor, 2 U.S. House
- [New Jersey 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/new-jersey): U.S. Senate, 12 U.S. House
- [New Mexico 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/new-mexico): U.S. Senate, governor, 3 U.S. House
- [New York 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/new-york): governor, 26 U.S. House
- [North Carolina 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/north-carolina): U.S. Senate, 14 U.S. House
- [North Dakota 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/north-dakota): 1 U.S. House
- [Ohio 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/ohio): governor, 15 U.S. House
- [Oklahoma 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/oklahoma): U.S. Senate, governor, 5 U.S. House
- [Oregon 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/oregon): U.S. Senate, governor, 6 U.S. House
- [Pennsylvania 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/pennsylvania): governor, 17 U.S. House
- [Rhode Island 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/rhode-island): U.S. Senate, governor, 2 U.S. House
- [South Carolina 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/south-carolina): U.S. Senate, governor, 7 U.S. House
- [South Dakota 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/south-dakota): U.S. Senate, governor, 1 U.S. House
- [Tennessee 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/tennessee): U.S. Senate, governor, 9 U.S. House
- [Texas 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/texas): U.S. Senate, governor, 38 U.S. House
- [Utah 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/utah): 4 U.S. House
- [Vermont 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/vermont): governor, 1 U.S. House
- [Virginia 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/virginia): U.S. Senate, 11 U.S. House
- [Washington 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/washington): 10 U.S. House
- [West Virginia 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/west-virginia): U.S. Senate, 2 U.S. House
- [Wisconsin 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/wisconsin): governor, 8 U.S. House
- [Wyoming 2026 ballot](https://ballotexplained.com/states/wyoming): U.S. Senate, governor, 1 U.S. House