Source guide Updated 2026-05-22

Can I trust this answer?

Start here when a page makes a claim. A trustworthy answer shows the source, date, match quality, and what cannot be shown.

Already know the source or topic? Question guide
Follow one answer from claim to receipt
Answer

A voter-facing summary makes one clear claim.

Public source

Open the original page, file, or feed.

Date checked

Know whether the receipt is current.

Match

Person, race, place, and topic line up.

Limit

Sensitive details stay summarized.

Check the receipt

Tap the part of the answer you want to trust.

Most people do not need a source catalog first. They need to see whether the original, date, match, and visible limit support the answer.

312 open receipts

Selected check

Start with the original source, not the label.

A trustworthy answer keeps the source name, public link, and which part of the summary it supports.

Question
Can I open where this came from?
Status
Public receipts
Open guide
Ready to read 5 minutes

Choose your path

Use receipts to check where an answer comes from.

Before trusting a claim, check the original source, date, match, and visible limit.

Already have an exact name or topic? Question guide
Ballot starting point

Selected path

Open the right race first.

Avoid comparing people before the office, date, and ballot context are clear.

Open

Public source trail

What are you trying to verify?

Start with the thing you saw. Civic OS sends you to the page that explains the answer in plain language first, then shows the receipt.

Who is on my ballot? See candidates, races, and upcoming dates. Open the guide Who is funding this? Connect committees, donors, spending, and relationships. Open the guide Is that claim true? Compare claims with sources and dates. Open the guide Did it change or disappear? Check captures, public posts, and archive records. Open the guide

Trust check

Before trusting a summary, check four things

Use this page to check the evidence trail before trusting a candidate, issue, money, claim, or record summary.

Original source Who said or published it?

Open the public source before accepting the summary.

Date and freshness When was it checked?

An old answer may be true and still not useful.

Match quality Is it the right person or race?

Names, offices, and places should line up before publishing.

Visible limit What is not shown?

Sensitive details stay as status, category, or count.

Receipts you can open

312

public links behind the guide

Facts cross-checked

1477

names, issues, money, records

Ready summaries

693

safe with attribution

Sensitive details

238

counts only

Source families

What source question are you asking?

Elections and ballots Offices, races, candidates, and ballot items. Money and influence Committees, donors, vendors, and context. Statements and archive Posts, changes, captures, and dates. Public records Business, license, court, and agency records.

Source families

Where coverage is strongest

Public Records 78 sources
78
Elections 76 sources
76
Social Media And Archives 58 sources
58
Business Identity 54 sources
54
Public Opinion And Media 54 sources
54
Legal And Enforcement 49 sources
49
Ownership And Assets 39 sources
39
Osint 35 sources
35
Legislation And Regulation 34 sources
34
Campaign Finance 28 sources
28
Lobbying And Influence 13 sources
13
Civic Education 10 sources
10

Example sources

Open the source before trusting the summary

SourceWhat it coversHow it is checkedWhat we matchWhat you seeChecked
ACLU legislative scorecardsElections, Legislation And RegulationPublic Web ReviewPerson NameDisplay With Attribution After Verification2026-05-21
American Presidency ProjectPublic Opinion And MediaJurisdiction Specific Public SiteSource-specificDisplay With Attribution After Verification2026-05-21
ANES Data CenterElections, Public Opinion And MediaPublic Web ReviewSource-specificDisplay With Attribution After Verification2026-05-21
AP Vote CountElectionsPermissioned Or Licensed Access, Rss Or FeedSource-specificDisplay Only After Terms Review2026-05-21
ArcGIS REST servicesGeneral civic sourceApiSource-specificDisplay With Attribution After Verification2026-05-21
ArchiveBoxSocial Media And ArchivesWeb Archive CaptureSource-specificDisplay With Attribution After Verification2026-05-21
Arizona 2026 election informationElectionsPublic Web ReviewPerson NameDisplay With Attribution After Verification2026-05-21
Arizona Secretary of State unofficial resultsElectionsBulk Download, Jurisdiction Specific Public Site, Rss Or FeedAddressDisplay With Attribution After Verification2026-05-21
ATTOM property data APIOwnership And Assets, Public RecordsApi, Permissioned Or Licensed AccessSource-specificDisplay Only After Terms Review2026-05-21
Australia ABN LookupBusiness IdentityPublic Search Or PortalAddress, Business Name, Person NameDisplay With Attribution After Verification2026-05-21
Awesome OSINTOsint, Public Records, Social Media And ArchivesGit Clone Or Github Api, Public Search Or PortalSocial UsernameDisplay With Attribution After Verification2026-05-21
BallotpediaElectionsJurisdiction Specific Public SiteAddressDisplay With Attribution After Verification2026-05-21

Source families

What these sources help explain

Identity check

Is this the same person?

Source-backed

Checks whether names, offices, locations, and public sources point to the same public figure.

Checks
245
Receipts
164
Caution
119

Claim check

Could this claim be wrong?

Needs care

Compares the exact words with records, earlier statements, and dated receipts before assigning a label.

Checks
225
Receipts
171
Caution
119

Safety limit

Why is some detail hidden?

Source-backed

Explains what can be shown, what must stay summarized, and why a detail is not public-facing.

Checks
222
Receipts
124
Caution
222

Record coverage

Which records were checked?

Source-backed

Shows which public record areas were reviewed and where details stay summarized for safety.

Checks
217
Receipts
143
Caution
125