How We Grade
Our methodology is transparent, data-driven, and free for everyone.
Our Mission
Democracy works best when citizens can easily understand how their representatives actually vote, who funds them, and whether they serve the people or special interests.
We use public data to create simple A-F grades that cut through the noise. No spin. No bias. Just facts.
Grading Methodology
Each representative receives a score from 0-100, converted to a letter grade. The score is based on four equally-weighted pillars:
💰 Donor Influence (25%)
What percentage of their funding comes from PACs and large donors vs. small individual contributions? Representatives funded primarily by special interests score lower.
📊 Financial Transparency (25%)
Do they file complete financial disclosures on time? Compliance with disclosure requirements and timely reporting earn higher scores.
📈 Wealth Growth (25%)
How much has their net worth increased compared to their congressional salary? Excessive wealth accumulation relative to their salary raises red flags.
📉 Stock Trading Compliance (25%)
STOCK Act violations including late disclosures and committee-related trades. Members who trade stocks in sectors they oversee or fail to report on time score lower.
Grade Scale
90-100
Transparent
80-89
Trustworthy
70-79
Concerning
60-69
Questionable
<60
Corrupt
Data Sources
- 📊Congress.gov — Official voting records, bill sponsorship, committee assignments
- 💵OpenFEC — Campaign finance data, donor breakdowns, PAC contributions
- 📈Voteview — DW-NOMINATE ideology scores, party loyalty analysis
- 🔍OpenSecrets — Industry contributions, lobbying data
Open Source
Democracy shouldn't be paywalled. This project is open source and free to use. Our methodology is transparent and our data is verifiable.
Built by Aria Labs