Privacy Policy
Effective Date: January 27, 2026
This Privacy Policy describes how WeVote Foundation ("WeVote," "we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, shares, and protects information when you use our platform and services (collectively, the "Services").
By using our Services, you agree to the collection, use, and sharing of your information as described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use our Services.
1. Information We Collect
1.1 Information You Provide
Account and Voter Profile Information
When you create an account and claim your voter profile, we collect:
- Full legal name
- Email address
- Phone number
- Information that links your account to your public voter registration record
When you claim a voter profile, that profile becomes exclusively associated with your account and is no longer available for others to claim.
Content You Create
When you use our Services, we collect the content you create, including:
- Posts and comments in legislative forums
- Messages sent to elected representatives
- Petition signatures
- Any other content you submit
Transaction Information
If you make a donation, we collect:
- Billing name and address
- Payment method information (processed by our third-party payment providers)
- Transaction history
Communications
When you contact us, we collect:
- Your name and contact information
- The content of your communications
- Any attachments you provide
1.2 Information We Collect Automatically
When you use our Services, we automatically collect:
| Data Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Device Information | Device type, operating system, browser type, unique device identifiers |
| Usage Information | Pages visited, features used, actions taken, time spent on pages |
| Log Data | IP address, access times, referring URLs, error logs |
| Location Information | General location derived from IP address; we do not collect precise GPS location |
| Cookies | Session cookies, persistent cookies, pixels, local storage |
1.3 Information from Other Sources
We may receive information about you from:
- Public voter registration databases (to verify your voter status)
- Service providers who assist with fraud prevention and identity verification
- Other users (e.g., if they mention you in content)
2. How We Use Your Information
Provide and Operate Our Services
- Verify your identity as a registered voter
- Connect you with your elected representatives
- Display your content to other users and representatives
- Process donations and provide receipts
- Respond to your inquiries and provide support
Facilitate Civic Engagement
- Enable you to contact and communicate with your representatives
- Share your profile information with representatives when you engage with them (subject to your privacy settings)
- Aggregate anonymous voting and engagement data to show community sentiment on legislation
- Operate legislative forums and community features
Improve and Develop Our Services
- Analyze usage patterns and trends
- Conduct research and analytics (using anonymized or aggregated data)
- Test and develop new features
- Troubleshoot and fix issues
Safety and Security
- Detect, investigate, and prevent fraud, abuse, and violations of our Terms
- Protect the rights, property, and safety of WeVote, our users, and the public
- Verify the authenticity of voter profiles
- Comply with legal obligations
Communications
- Send service-related notices and updates
- Send newsletters and civic engagement updates (with your consent)
- Respond to your requests and inquiries
3. How Your Information is Shared
WeVote does not sell personally identifiable information to third parties.
We do not rent, trade, or otherwise monetize your personal data.
3.2 Information Shared with Representatives
When you contact or engage with elected representatives through our Services, we share information from your profile to facilitate that communication. You control what is shared through your privacy settings.
| What's Shared | When | Your Control |
|---|---|---|
| Your name | Messages, posts, petitions | Required for verified engagement |
| Your email | Contact representatives | Toggle on/off in settings |
| Your phone | Contact representatives | Toggle on/off in settings |
| Your district | Engage with representatives | Always shared (verifies constituency) |
| Engagement history | Contact representatives | Toggle on/off in settings |
3.3 Information That's Always Anonymous
The following activities are always anonymous and never linked to your identity:
- Your votes on posts, legislation, and polls
- Your likes and similar engagement actions
- Your browsing activity on our platform
We aggregate this anonymous data to show community sentiment (e.g., "1,247 verified voters support this bill") without ever revealing individual identities.
3.4 Information That's Always Public
When you create content on our platform, certain information is visible to others:
- Your username or display name
- Your posts, comments, and forum contributions
- Your petition signatures
- Contextual information (e.g., which forum you're participating in, your general district)
3.5 Service Providers
We share information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf, including:
- Cloud hosting and infrastructure providers
- Payment processors
- Email and communication services
- Analytics providers (receiving only anonymized data)
- Security and fraud prevention services
These providers are contractually obligated to use your information only to provide services to us and to maintain appropriate security measures.
3.6 Anonymized and Aggregated Data
We may share anonymized or aggregated data that cannot reasonably be used to identify you, including:
- Aggregate statistics on civic engagement
- Research data on voter sentiment and participation
- Trend analysis on legislative topics
This data may be shared with researchers, academic institutions, media organizations, and the public to further civic engagement and democratic participation.
3.7 Legal Requirements and Protection
We may disclose your information if we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to:
- Comply with applicable law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request
- Enforce our Terms of Service and other agreements
- Detect, prevent, or address fraud, security, or technical issues
- Protect the rights, property, or safety of WeVote, our users, or the public
3.8 Business Transfers
If WeVote is involved in a merger, acquisition, bankruptcy, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any such change and any choices you may have regarding your information.
3.9 With Your Consent
We may share your information for other purposes with your explicit consent.
4. Your Privacy Controls
4.1 Privacy Settings
You can control how your information is shared through your account privacy settings, including:
- What information representatives see when you contact them
- Whether to share your email, phone, or engagement history
- Your display name and public profile information
4.2 Your Rights
Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:
Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.
Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions.
Portability: Request a portable copy of your data in a machine-readable format.
Opt-Out: Opt out of certain data processing activities.
Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for processing where consent is the legal basis.
To exercise these rights, contact us at support@wevoteproject.org or use the tools in your account settings.
4.3 Account Deletion
You may delete your account at any time through your account settings or by contacting us. When you delete your account:
- Your profile information will be deleted within 30 days
- Content you created may remain visible but will be disassociated from your identity
- Anonymous activity data (votes, likes) will be retained in aggregate form
- Some information may be retained as required by law or for legitimate business purposes
5. Data Retention
We retain your information for as long as necessary to provide our Services and fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy. Specific retention periods include:
| Data Type | Retention Period |
|---|---|
| Account information | Duration of account + 30 days after deletion |
| Content you create | Until you delete it or delete your account |
| Messages to representatives | 12 months, then anonymized |
| Anonymous activity data | Retained indefinitely (already anonymized) |
| Transaction records | 7 years (legal/tax requirements) |
| Log data | 24 months |
6. Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your information, including:
- Encryption of data in transit (TLS) and at rest
- Access controls limiting who can view personal data
- Regular security assessments and monitoring
- Employee training on data protection
- Incident response procedures
However, no method of transmission or storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
7. Children's Privacy
Our Services are not directed to individuals under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 18, we will take steps to delete that information promptly.
8. International Data Transfers
WeVote is based in Nebraska, United States. If you access our Services from outside the United States, your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States or other countries where our service providers operate. These countries may have different data protection laws than your country of residence.
9. Third-Party Links and Services
Our Services may contain links to third-party websites and services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you access.
10. Do Not Track
Some browsers have a "Do Not Track" feature. Our Services do not currently respond to Do Not Track signals.
11. California Privacy Rights
If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):
- Right to know what personal information we collect, use, and disclose
- Right to request deletion of your personal information
- Right to opt out of the "sale" of personal information (we do not sell personal information)
- Right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights
To exercise these rights, contact us at support@wevoteproject.org.
12. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated policy on our Services and updating the "Last Updated" date. Your continued use of our Services after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.
13. Contact Us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:
WeVote Foundation
support@wevoteproject.orgWeVote Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening democracy by empowering verified voters to engage meaningfully in their communities.
