Follow the seat through time

An office record is a useful anchor because people change while the institution continues. A current roster identifies a holder at a stated time; an election record identifies candidates for a particular contest. A vacant seat is still an office. Comparing these records helps avoid the common mistake of treating a candidate biography as proof that the person currently has governmental authority.

Keep identities and campaigns distinct

Names are not unique identifiers. A person can run more than once, seek different offices or appear with different punctuation in separate sources. Electionpedia retains the source identifiers and election context that allow a reader to check a match. A campaign committee is also a separate record: its receipts and spending should not be read as the candidate’s personal wealth.