Ballot 26 / Ballot 28 Privacy Policy

Purpose

Ballot 28 is an independent election-method research experiment. Information collected through this site is used to operate the experiment, maintain ballot integrity, study aggregate voting behavior, and improve future versions of the program.

Information We Collect

We collect ballot activity, including candidate selections, write-in candidate names, approval and disapproval choices, total scores, ballot timestamps, ballot numbers, signed-in ballot recast changes, and daily result snapshots. For midterm ballots, this includes your chosen state, congressional district, included contests, and candidate-list version. We do not collect your street address to select a district.

If you create an account, we collect your email address, username, password authentication data, and account session information. We do not store your plaintext password.

We also collect limited validation and security information, such as IP address, browser cookies, local browser storage, and Cloudflare Turnstile verification signals, to help prevent abuse and keep each ballot associated with the correct session or account.

How We Use Information

We use collected information for independent research purposes, to process and update ballots, display election results, support ballot certificates, prevent spam or repeated abuse, maintain account access, and communicate with participants about the program.

Email

Email addresses are used for person validation, account creation, account access, delivery of verification codes, and outreach by the Ballot 28 program. You can contact us if you want help with your account or no longer want to receive program outreach.

Cookies and Local Storage

We use cookies to keep account sessions active and to associate an anonymous ballot with a browser. We use local browser storage to remember ballot information for non-signed-in participants through the 2028 election experiment period, unless you clear it from your browser. Midterm submissions are cached separately from presidential submissions, with only one submitted state ballot cached at a time. Signed-in midterm choices are restored from your account rather than stored as an anonymous ballot. Cookies and storage are separate on different domains. Ballot2040.com provides shared sign-in across our ballot domains through a short-lived, single-use redirect. Anonymous visitors use the same process to share one random ballot identity across our domains, without creating an account. Each domain keeps its own secure cookie. Ballot choices remain on our server and are restored using that identity. When older domain-specific ballots conflict, the shared ballot is retained and duplicate contributions are removed. Signing out revokes linked account sessions, while the separate anonymous ballot identity remains in this browser. Unfinished choices may be held temporarily in this tab’s session storage during the redirect; passwords and sign-in tokens are not stored there.

Service Providers and Sharing

We do not sell participant information. We use service providers to run the site, store data, protect forms, and send verification emails, including Cloudflare and Resend. We may also disclose information when required by law or when necessary to protect the security, integrity, or operation of the experiment.

Your Choices

You can participate without creating an account, clear your browser cookies or local storage, sign out of your account, or contact us with privacy questions or account requests. Clearing local browser storage may remove anonymous ballot information stored on your device.

Data Retention

We keep information for as long as reasonably needed to operate the experiment, support accounts, preserve ballot integrity, and conduct independent research. Aggregated, de-identified, or statistical information may be kept for longer-term research and reporting. Moving a midterm submission to another state removes its prior contribution from live results. Previous daily snapshots and signed-in recast history remain as historical records. Public results contain aggregate choices rather than account identities.

Children

Ballot 28 is not intended for children under 13. If you believe a child has provided personal information through this site, please contact us.

Changes

We may update this policy as the experiment develops. When we do, we will update the date shown at the top of this page.

Contact

For privacy questions, account requests, or program feedback, email feedback@ballot2040.com.