Analytical assessment, not fact. These placements are one analyst's judgment from public evidence. They are not facts, not endorsements, and not statements by the people rated.
Same method for everyone
- Recorded votes, especially contested ones; party-line share where available.
- Documented stated positions (voter guides, meeting remarks, campaign sites).
- Third-party scorecards from across the spectrum, where they exist.
- Endorsements and contributors of record.
- Public posts by the person on X, quoted and linked.
Scale
Seven points, relative to the U.S. spectrum: very liberal · liberal · lean liberal · moderate · lean conservative · conservative · very conservative. Fiscal and social are shown separately when the evidence allows. A range (e.g., "moderate to lean liberal") is drawn at its midpoint.
When evidence is thin
If the evidence is insufficient, the rating says Not enough evidence instead of guessing. Local nonpartisan offices often have few contested votes, so most local ratings are low confidence.
Confidence
High: long records plus several independent scorecards agree. Medium: a meaningful record or scorecard. Low: little record; based mainly on statements or affiliations. Mixed levels (e.g., "low-medium") are shown at the lower level.
What is shown
Only the placement, confidence, a one-line summary and the evidence bullets with source links.