Privacy Policy
Effective March 24, 2026 · Last updated March 24, 2026
What The Vote is a personal, nonpartisan civic data project built and maintained by Ryan C. This policy explains what data the site collects, how it's used, and how long it's kept. The short version: very little, and not for long.
What We Collect
| Data | Purpose | Stored? | Retention |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZIP code lookups | Find your representative | No | Not stored — processed in-house and discarded |
| Server logs | Security, abuse prevention, basic analytics | Yes | Raw logs (IP, user agent, page, timestamp) retained 30 days, then deleted. Aggregate statistics (daily page counts, no IPs) kept indefinitely. |
| Subscription email | Daily congressional digest delivery | Yes | Until you unsubscribe — then permanently deleted |
| Session cookie | Standard Flask session management | Browser only | Expires when you close your browser |
What We Don't Do
- No advertising — no ad networks, no ad pixels, no tracking for ad targeting
- No third-party analytics — no Google Analytics, no Meta Pixel, no third-party scripts
- No personal profiles — we don't build behavioral profiles or track you across pages
- No data sales — your information is never sold, shared, or provided to third parties
- No tracking cookies — the only cookie is a standard session cookie that expires when you leave
External Services
When you use the site, your browser connects only to wtfvote.us. The server makes background requests to government APIs (Congress.gov, GovInfo, Census Bureau, FEC) to fetch public data — no user information is included in these requests.
Previously, the site used a third-party geocoding service for ZIP lookups. This has been replaced with an in-house solution. No user-entered addresses or ZIP codes leave our server.
Server Logs
Like nearly all web servers, ours records basic request data: your IP address, browser user agent, the page you visited, and the time. This data is used exclusively for:
- Detecting and blocking abusive traffic (bots, scrapers, attack probes)
- Understanding which pages are useful (aggregate counts only)
- Debugging server errors
Raw log entries are automatically deleted after 30 days. After that, only anonymized aggregate counts remain (e.g., "/feed received 342 visits on March 15" — no IPs, no user agents).
Email Subscriptions
If you subscribe to the daily digest, your email address is stored solely for delivery. We do not share your email with anyone. Every email includes an unsubscribe link. When you unsubscribe, your address is permanently deleted — not archived, not suppressed, deleted.
Children's Privacy
What The Vote does not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. The site is a civic reference tool and does not require registration or personal data to use.
Your Rights
You can request deletion of any data we hold about you (server log entries, subscription email) by emailing ryancd3v@gmail.com. We'll process requests within 7 days.
Changes
If this policy changes, the updated version will be posted here with a new "last updated" date. Material changes will be noted on the home page.
Contact
Questions about this policy? Email ryancd3v@gmail.com.