Ballotpedia Summer 2024 Volunteer Fellowship Program (Remote)

Description

Ballotpedia, Encyclopedia of American Politics, is excited to announce that applications are open for the Summer 2024 class of our Ballotpedia Volunteer Fellows Program!

As a Ballotpedia Fellow, you will work hand-in-hand with our staff as we expand our data-driven analysis of American politics. Our Summer 2024 program will be highly focused on research of local officeholders and candidates who are on the ballot in upcoming 2024 elections.

The Summer 2024 Fellowship Program will run from Monday, June 3, 2024, through Friday, August 2, 2024. Fellows are asked to contribute 5-10 hours of work per week, which can be completed at their discretion in order to accommodate school schedules, extracurricular activities, and work commitments. Fellows need access to a computer or laptop and a reliable internet connection. Fellows who meet the requirements are eligible for a nationally recognized service honor awarded by Ballotpedia.

Requirements

• You love politics and are passionate about Ballotpedia’s mission to provide American voters with unbiased, factual information.
• You are a strong self-starter and thrive in a self-directed environment. All questions and feedback are welcome at Ballotpedia, so we want our Fellows to speak up when they see a problem or notice a way we can improve our processes!
• You have excellent communication skills.
• You love a well-organized spreadsheet and a color-coded to-do list.
• You think data science is fascinating, whether you are familiar with how to do it or not.
• You love research - the discovery of information and the thrill of the chase is exciting.
• Most of all, you believe that every voter deserves quality information before voting, no matter the level of government.

Available Projects

This summer, our fellows will be working on projects that will likely include the following:

Local candidate research: Ballotpedia aims to cover every election in the country. As part of our coverage efforts, you will work to build out more complete candidate profiles on Ballotpedia using the same research standards we use for full-time staff. Your research will ensure that millions of voters have access to detailed information about the candidates on their ballot. If you have a passion for providing unbiased information to candidates in smaller media markets, this project is for you.

Quality assurance: Ballotpedia takes our commitment to quality and accuracy extremely seriously, and our Quality Assurance Researchers help us ensure the highest level of research. As a Quality Assurance Researcher, you will receive a spreadsheet of candidates with attributes that were found by other fellows. After conducting the research again, you will ensure that the content is accurate and complete.

Fellows can indicate interest in specific projects as part of their application. We cannot guarantee that fellows will be assigned to their first choice project, and while projects are subject to change, we will make every effort to ensure that each fellow has an opportunity to learn skills that will benefit them in future careers in politics, journalism, or other fields.

Application Timeline
Application deadline: Monday, May 13, 2024
Application screening: Monday, March 25 - Friday, May 17, 2024
Decision notification: by Friday, May 24, 2024
Onboarding meeting: Monday, June 3 - Friday, June 7, 2024

To Apply
Interested applicants should submit their applications, resumes, and cover letters as soon as possible by selecting 'Apply for this job' below and filling out the form. Applications for the volunteer position will be accepted on a rolling basis, and offers will be sent via email. Please note that applicants might not hear from Ballotpedia regarding the initial status of their application until early April. If you have any questions about the program, email fellows@Ballotpedia.org.