Explore

Learn PowerVote, one feature at a time

Each video walks through one part of the site with captions for every step. The same steps are written out beside each video, so you can read along or skip ahead.

12 videos · 12:08 total · recorded 2026-09-24

Getting started

Getting around PowerVote

Home page · 0:31

  1. PowerVote shows what your leaders in Congress are actually doing, from public records
  2. 01The top bar takes you to every section: Leaders, Organizations, Presidents, Ballot, and Write
  3. 02Leader cards preview a recent vote, top contributor, ideology score, and money raised
  4. 03Choose View full profile to open that leader's complete record
  5. The full profile loads with their votes, money, and positions
Go to Home

Where the data comes from

About · 0:27

  1. About explains where every number on PowerVote comes from
  2. Our Data Sources lists each public record behind the site
  3. Understanding Ideology Scores explains how the liberal to conservative scale is measured
  4. Using Our Work covers how you can share and reuse what you find here
Go to About

Leaders and their votes

Browse and filter leaders

Leaders · 1:36

  1. 01Open Leaders and type a name or state into the search box
  2. 02Choose Senate or House to narrow the list to one chamber
  3. 03Choose All to see both chambers again
  4. 04Open the party menu to show one party only
  5. The count on the right shows how many leaders match
  6. 05Choose any leader to open their profile
  7. Their profile opens with the full record
Go to Leaders

Reading a leader's profile

Any leader's profile · 0:48

  1. Every leader's profile opens with their office, party, and district
  2. 01Votes on record is how many roll call votes we have on file for them
  3. 02Write Letter and the contact links reach their office directly
  4. 03Legislative Record sums up how they vote and where they are most active
  5. 04Ideology Spectrum places them from liberal to conservative, beside their party's average
  6. Category Breakdown explains their positions one policy area at a time
Go to Leaders

Seeing votes on one issue

A leader's profile, Congressional Votes · 0:34

  1. Scroll a profile down to Congressional Votes
  2. 01Choose an issue to see every vote they cast on it
  3. Each row shows the bill, the vote type, the date, and how they voted
  4. 02Choose a vote to open its details
  5. The details show the full bill title, their vote, and a link to the official source
Go to Leaders

Following the money

Following a leader's money

A leader's profile, Follow the Money · 1:40

  1. Scroll a profile down to Follow the Money
  2. 01Choose Total Raised to see where the totals come from
  3. The breakdown opens in a panel
  4. 02Choose a top contributor to see what they gave
  5. The panel shows their total, split into PAC and individual money
  6. 03Verify on FEC.gov opens the same numbers at the Federal Election Commission
Go to Leaders

Tracing a donor organization

Organizations · 1:00

  1. Organizations tracks every donor that has funded a sitting member of Congress
  2. 01Type a name to filter the list
  3. 02Choose an organization to open it
  4. Recipients lists every leader they funded, largest first
  5. 03Choose a recipient to open that leader's profile
  6. The leader's profile opens with their full record
Go to Organizations

Exploring the Turning Point USA dossier

Organizations, Turning Point USA · 1:43

  1. 01Open Organizations and choose the Turning Point USA featured profile
  2. The dossier opens with revenue, staff, and chapter figures
  3. Follow the Money charts revenue from their Form 990 tax returns, year by year
  4. Helped Elect lists the candidates they backed who won and who lost
  5. People lists the key figures in the organization
  6. 02Choose a person to open their full profile
  7. Their profile opens with their role and record
Go to Turning Point USA

Your 2026 ballot

Finding your 2026 ballot by address

Ballot, street address · 0:44

  1. 01Open Ballot and type your street address, city, and state
  2. 02Choose Find my ballot
  3. Your House race lists everyone who has filed to run in your district
  4. 03Open Ideology to see where a candidate sits on the spectrum
  5. 04Open Voting record to see how an incumbent has voted by issue
  6. 05Open Who funds them to see their top contributors and industries
  7. 06FEC filings opens the candidate's official campaign reports
Go to Ballot

Browsing a ballot by state and district

Ballot, pick your state · 0:39

  1. 01No address handy? Pick your state from the menu
  2. When your state has a Senate race this year, every filed candidate is listed here
  3. 02Pick your House district to add your House race
  4. Your House race now appears with every candidate in that district
  5. Statewide measures lists what is on your state's ballot, with what a yes vote means
Go to Ballot

Taking action

Writing to your leaders

Write · 1:47

  1. 01Open Write and choose your state
  2. 02Add your House district number if you know it
  3. 03Choose Start Writing
  4. Your senators and representative appear, ready to receive the letter
  5. 04Fill in your name and address so their office knows you are a constituent
  6. 05Give the letter a subject
  7. 06Write your message in your own words and it is formatted into a letter
  8. 07Preview the letter for each leader it goes to
  9. 08Copy Letter, Download, or Open Contact Form to send it through their office
Go to Write

Presidential records

Reviewing a president's record

Presidents · 0:39

  1. Presidents lists every president with bills signed, vetoes, and executive orders
  2. 01Choose a president to open their report card
  3. Actions Over Time charts what they signed and vetoed across their term
  4. 02Filter the actions to Signed, Vetoed, or Exec Orders
  5. 03Search the bills by keyword
  6. 04Switch to Index to see every match as one list
  7. Every matching action is listed with its date and status
Go to Presidents