How PurpleRollCall works
Clarity without
losing the source.
Our goal is to make the public record easier to use—not to replace it. Every summary should help you understand the vote and lead you back to the official source.
View planned sources ↓A source-first process
From official roll call
to useful record
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01
Collect the official record
Each vote begins with a roll call published by the government body that held it. The source link stays attached to the record.
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02
Add plain-language context
We summarize what the measure does, where it sits in the legislative process, and what a yea or nay vote meant at that moment.
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03
Connect people, issues, and patterns
Votes are organized by representative, government level, subject, date, and outcome so visitors can explore beyond a single headline.
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04
Review and update
Records are checked for source accuracy, updated when official information changes, and marked clearly if a correction is made.
Planned data standards
Official sources first.
The live database prioritizes primary government records and shows where every entry came from.
U.S. House Clerk, U.S. Senate, and Congress.gov roll-call and bill records
Official state legislature vote journals, bill histories, and member directories
City, county, school board, and other public meeting records where structured voting data is available
Neutral language
Summaries describe the measure and vote without assigning a value judgment.
Visible limitations
Missing votes, unavailable local data, and incomplete source records are labeled—not guessed.
Open corrections
Visitors can flag an error, and material corrections are dated and explained.
Ready to see what a clear record can look like?
Explore records