Ballot Measures Staff Writer

Summary

Join Ballotpedia's Ballot Measures Team as a full-time, 100% remote Staff Writer. You will strengthen Ballotpedia's coverage of direct democracy by creating clear, accurate, and neutral content explaining ballot measures. Responsibilities include tracking ballot measure processes, explaining measures' impacts, following campaigns, covering elections, and analyzing data to identify trends. Success requires self-awareness, continuous improvement, neutral writing, and a commitment to reader experience. You will develop expertise in ballot measures and their processes. The position offers a flexible work environment and a benefits stipend.

Requirements

• A strong interest in U.S. politics and attentiveness to ongoing political developments
• Excellent writing skills, with the ability to explain complex policies clearly and neutrally, and a commitment to accuracy, clarity, and continuous improvement
• Strong time management and organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize effectively and meet deadlines
• Flexibility to adapt quickly as political developments or editorial priorities shift
• Ability to independently monitor news sources and government websites for updates on measures, campaigns, and legislation
• Ability to analyze data and identify trends
• Ability to recognize how readers with different political views, needs, or goals might interpret content, and to ensure it is accessible and balanced
• Attention to detail and strong proofreading skills, with the ability to follow Ballotpedia’s style guide (based on the AP Stylebook)
• Ability to handle critical feedback well, with a focus on using it to improve quality and deepen expertise
• Curiosity and initiative to identify knowledge gaps, seek out documentation, ask thoughtful questions, and build subject-matter expertise over time
• Experience with spreadsheets, templates, and structured workflows, or a willingness to learn and grow in those areas

Responsibilities

• Produce clear, accurate, and accessible articles that explain complex ballot measures in plain, neutral language, aligned with Ballotpedia’s editorial standards
• Develop expertise in your assigned states, including how the ballot measure process works in those states
• Track the status of measures in assigned states through state and legislative websites
• Monitor the news for relevant updates, including endorsements, polls, and arguments, and add relevant information to pages and the database
• Track and aggregate campaign finance for ballot measure PACs
• Track, summarize, and analyze legislation that impacts the ballot measure process, update related content on ballot measure laws, and identify areas where new explanatory pages are needed
• Research to find historical information on ballot measures from prior decades, including from government websites, newspaper archives, and other resources
• Analyze state, local, and historical ballot measure data and publish analyses
• Create new content based on emerging trends and data analysis
• Generate news stories for Ballotpedia News and our newsletters, including the Daily Brew
• Collaborate with editors to refine and improve content, and incorporate feedback on a clear timeline
• Ensure that your team's managing editor, team lead, and team members are informed about your progress by attending short, scheduled weekly meetings and regularly updating Asana tasks
• Use and master tools such as templates, spreadsheets, and our database
• Use the Ballotpedia database according to established processes
• Contribute to Ballotpedia’s election night coverage, including updating election results in real-time
• Cover assigned breaking news shifts outside of regular working hours during infrequent, scheduled on-call shifts (about 3-4 weeknights and 1-2 weekends per year)
• Participate in podcasts, videos, webinars, or media interviews as needed, with opportunities increasing with experience
• Learn and master Ballotpedia’s Style Guide (which is based on the AP Stylebook)

Preferred Qualifications

• Interest in or experience using AI tools to increase productivity
• Working familiarity and/or experience with these or similar platforms is highly desirable

Benefits

• Ballotpedia offers a flexible work environment, BP Flex, which allows every employee to enjoy unlimited vacation and flexibility in scheduling
• During new employee training, each employee will be oriented to the principles of Ballotpedia’s flexible environment
• The starting pay range for the Ballot Measures Team Staff Writer is $42,500-44,000, commensurate with experience
• In addition to salary, Ballotpedia offers an annual benefits stipend equivalent to $8,000 that is paid out in equal increments in each paycheck once an employee becomes benefits-eligible following a brief review period
• The stipend may be used to pay for a full benefits package, including health, vision, dental insurance, retirement accounts, and more
• If benefits are not elected, the stipend is taxed as regular income and added to salary