About PolicyFirst
PolicyFirst is a political wiki and research platform built on a simple premise: people deserve accurate, sourced information about policy and the politicians who vote on it — and a place to understand where they themselves stand.
The site combines a community-edited wiki of politicians, bills, and voting records with a research-grade political values quiz. Every quiz answer is anchored to a real piece of legislation or a recorded public statement — not editorial opinion. The aggregate data that results belongs to the public.
What PolicyFirst is — and isn't
A research tool, not a media outlet
PolicyFirst does not produce news or editorial commentary. The wiki is community-edited and sourced. The quiz maps positions to real bills and speeches, not to our interpretation of them.
A platform, not an advocate
Verified politicians can purchase subpages and respond on their own pages. They do not control the wiki content about them. Their voice is clearly labeled and distinct from community-edited content.
Ad-supported and transparent about it
PolicyFirst is a for-profit site supported by advertising and tiered data access. Advertisers do not influence wiki content, quiz questions, or data reporting. Ad placements are clearly marked.
Not a polling service
Quiz takers are self-selected, not a representative sample. Results reflect who chooses to engage with PolicyFirst, not the general public. We are transparent about this in all data reporting.
Not affiliated with any party or candidate
PolicyFirst has no political affiliation. Politician subpages are available for purchase by any verified elected official regardless of party.
Data ethics
We collect the minimum necessary
Non-citizens and guests are never asked for location data. We don't collect what we don't need. Data we don't have cannot be demanded or misused.
No local or district-level data is published
The most granular geographic unit we publish is the state. This is a deliberate policy to prevent gerrymandering research or targeted use of our data against communities.
Your quiz data is yours
Registered users can download their own quiz responses at any time, free of charge. Aggregate data excludes individual responses. You can delete your account and all associated data at any time.
Research data access is gated, not hidden
Deeper data is available to verified academics and journalists at tiered pricing. Access is manually reviewed to prevent misuse. We publish our access criteria publicly.
Frequently asked questions
Who writes the wiki content?
Wiki content is written and edited by registered PolicyFirst users. All edits are logged with edit history and attribution. Significant edits require sourcing. A moderation team reviews flagged content and disputes.
How are quiz questions written and updated?
Quiz questions are drafted by the PolicyFirst editorial team and linked to specific bills or recorded public statements before publication. Questions are updated when legislation changes or new bills are introduced. The community can flag outdated bill references.
How do politicians get verified?
Elected officials contact PolicyFirst through the verification portal at verify@policyfirst.com. Verification requires confirmation of official status through public records. Verified accounts are clearly labeled and cannot edit the main wiki content about themselves.
Can I report inaccurate wiki content?
Yes. Every wiki page has a flag option for registered users. Flagged content is reviewed by the moderation team within 72 hours. You can also submit a correction directly through the wiki edit flow with a supporting source.
How do I apply for research data access?
Email data@policyfirst.com with your institutional affiliation and intended use. Academic and journalist tiers require verification. Research tier access is manually reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Pricing and criteria are published publicly.
Is PolicyFirst affiliated with any political party?
No. PolicyFirst has no political affiliation and receives no funding from any party, campaign, or PAC. The platform is designed to serve users across the full political spectrum equally.