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BlackVoteWatch

About BlackVoteWatch

Holding politicians accountable to Black Americans with receipts, not rhetoric.

No party loyalty. No empty symbolism. Just receipts.
We are not here to protect parties, PACs, or political careers. We are here to track results for Black Americans.

Why This Site Exists

BlackVoteWatch is built for Black Americans who want to know what politicians actually do once they get our vote.

Every election cycle, politicians make promises to Black voters. They show up at Black churches, quote MLK, and swear they'll fight for our communities. Then they get into office and vote for whoever funded their campaign.

BlackVoteWatch exists to expose the gap between what politicians say and what they actually do. We track their votes on bills that affect Black Americans. We follow their campaign money. We document their record.

No more voting based on party loyalty or campaign ads. Now you can vote based on receipts.

What We Track

BlackVoteWatch was built to help Black Americans track political power, representation, and accountability. Our core focus is how elected officials affect Black communities.

Some parts of the platform focus specifically on Black representation, while broader Congress-wide coverage is being added across the site through the same Black-interest lens. That means Our Representation focuses on Black members of Congress, while pages like Rankings, Bills, and Leverage can extend beyond Black members when the broader record matters to Black Americans.

Reparations
Criminal Justice
Voting Rights
Housing
Education
Healthcare
Wealth Gap

How To Use This Site

1
Enter your ZIP code
Find who represents you in Congress — your two senators and your House rep.
2
See their grade
Every rep gets a letter grade (A–F) based on two scores: a Policy Score from their voting record, and an Accountability Score for how they've used — or failed to use — their power. The numeric scores show the precision; the letter marks the tier.
3
Check the money
See who funds them. Donor conflicts, red flags, and accountability failures are part of the Accountability Score — not hidden from the grade.
4
Vote with receipts
Contact your rep, share their grade, and make decisions based on the record — not the ads.

Our Grading System

Every rep gets a letter grade — A, B, C, D, or F — based on two scores that combine into an Overall Grade. The numeric scores (e.g. Policy: 84/100, Accountability: 74/100) carry the precision; the letter marks the tier. Party doesn't matter — only actions.

A low grade doesn't always mean the same thing. Absence, active hostility, and structural failure from a position of power are all different kinds of failure — and the score reflects that distinction.

Policy Score
Based on actual votes, bill sponsorships, and stated positions on issues affecting Black Americans. Issue categories are weighted equally — no issue counts more than another in the policy calculation.
Accountability Score
Covers donor conflicts, red flags, use of power, and major betrayals. For high-power members — party leaders, committee chairs — this score carries more weight in the final grade, because power creates greater responsibility.
A

Exceptional. Documented, sustained deployment of power for Black American outcomes — across voting rights, criminal justice, economic equity, and reparations.

B

Strong record with clear accountability. Has authored or championed Black-specific legislation, or made documented use of committee power for BA-specific outcomes.

C

Real documented positives, but incomplete depth. Genuine work in the record — but not the level of sustained deployment or institutional use that reaches B.

D

Correct votes, weak Black-specific record. Generally votes right on civil rights bills but has not authored, championed, or led any Black-specific legislation.

F

Insufficient accountability — but not all F scores are the same. Some reflect absence and disengagement. Others reflect active opposition or structural failure from a position of power. The number tells you which.

Being Black does not earn a pass. Grades are based on voting record and use of power — not identity. A Black rep with a weak accountability record scores accordingly.
Full methodology: The complete formula — including power-level weights, grade cutoffs, and source requirements — is published on the Methodology page. Members with limited voting records carry a clearly labeled Provisional score. All scores are subject to ongoing review and correction.

Our Data Sources

Every claim on this site is sourced and documented. We pull from:

  • •Congress.gov — Official House and Senate roll-call votes for all bills
  • •FEC.gov — Campaign finance data from the Federal Election Commission
  • •OpenSecrets.org — Detailed donor, PAC, and industry contribution tracking
  • •House and Senate clerk offices — Official voting records and member data
  • •Public office statements and press records — For documented positions and controversies

Ready to See Your Rep's Record?

Enter your zip code and find out if your representative is really fighting for Black America.

Look Up My Representatives