Ballotpedia

U.S. center (conservative-funded nonprofit)

Background

Ballotpedia launched in 2007 under the Lucy Burns Institute (incorporated December 2006), initially as a wiki focused on ballot measures and state elections. Founder and president Leslie Graves — a former Wisconsin Libertarian Party chair — has longstanding ties to conservative donor networks; her husband Eric O'Keefe is a prominent figure in Koch-affiliated political organizations. The site expanded over the following decade into a comprehensive encyclopedia of U.S. politics covering candidates, elected officials, courts, and government processes at the federal, state, and local levels. Funding has come heavily from conservative-aligned sources: public filings document over $30 million from DonorsTrust and its affiliate Donors Capital Fund since 2013, along with grants from the Sarah Scaife Foundation, the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, and the Searle Freedom Trust. Critics, including SourceWatch and PR Watch, have argued that this donor base creates a tension with Ballotpedia's stated neutrality. Independent bias-rating organizations have nonetheless assessed its published content as largely balanced and accurate — Media Bias/Fact Check rates it 'Least Biased' with a 'Very High' factual score, and AllSides rates it 'Center.' Unlike traditional news outlets, Ballotpedia does not deploy reporters; it curates, cross-checks, and summarizes information from primary sources in encyclopedia format, which narrows the range of editorial choices it makes.

Sources

1. Ballotpedia: About
2. Ballotpedia — Wikipedia
3. Ballotpedia — Media Bias/Fact Check
4. Ballotpedia Media Bias Rating — AllSides
5. Ballotpedia — SourceWatch
6. Lucy Burns Institute — InfluenceWatch
7. This popular election resource is funded by far-right donors. Does it matter?
8. The Lucy Burns Institute and Her Right-Wing Bedfellows — PR Watch
9. Donald Trump presidential administration, 2025–2026 — Ballotpedia

Profile compiled 2026-06-28; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.

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