How BallotSight works

What you’re seeing

We have collected over 150 sample ballots. We submitted each to ChatGPT, Claude, and Grok, via their website or app, with 5 different prompts. This website annotates each candidate on the ballot with what the chatbots said in each scenario.

How results were made

1. 1
   We start with a sample ballotWe collected publicly accessible PDF and image sample ballots for the election on November 3, 2026. PDF ballots were converted into images to better simulate what would happen if voters take a picture of the ballot with their phone to send to a chatbot.
2. 2
   We send it to each chatbotAll ballot pages are sent together to ChatGPT, Claude, and Grok, via their web apps, along with a prompt. We repeated this for each of 5 generic prompts we're tracking.
3. 3
   We save each full answerWe store the chatbot responses in full. You can see them when viewing a ballot.
4. 4
   We match answers to candidatesWe used AI to associate quotes with the specific candidates we knew were on each ballot, and added annotations to the ballots with snippets that describe what each chatbot said about each candidate on the ballot. Candidates that were mentioned by a chatbot are highlighted.

Configuration

We set up each chatbot to behave as much like its consumer app as we reasonably could. We used the web app version of each bot, not their APIs. We compared web app answers to answers from the bots' mobile apps and found them similar (which was not always the case with the APIs).

Limitations

• We got a single answer from each chatbot for each ballot and prompt combination. Answers vary significantly over time and between users. The answers we show are examples of what a chatbot may tell a voter, and should not be treated as consistent or definitive.
• We used the web app version of each chatbot. In testing, the web apps gave answers similar to the mobile apps, which voters are more likely to use to ask about their ballot in the voting booth. Nonetheless, answers may differ between web and mobile interfaces.
• Answers for users with chatbot accounts, especially paid plans, may be influenced by the context and history the chatbot has about them.

Questions and corrections

If you spot a mistake or want to know more, contact us at [campsight@runforsomething.net].