id: https://electepedia.com/schema/electepedia name: electepedia title: Electepedia core schema description: >- Shared data model for Electepedia and its sub-projects (e.g. Rhetornet). Covers the people and organizations in the political ecosystem (officeholders, candidates, staff, journalists, commentators), their dated roles, what they said, how claims were reviewed, how legislators voted, and money flows, with provenance on every factual record. Classes and slots are mapped to Popolo (people, organizations, memberships, posts, votes), schema.org (claims, fact-checks, creative works), SKOS (topics) and W3C PROV-O / PAV (provenance) so the data can be exchanged as JSON-LD without adopting this codebase. version: 0.1.0 license: MIT see_also: - https://www.popoloproject.com/specs/ - https://schema.org/ClaimReview - https://www.w3.org/TR/prov-o/ prefixes: linkml: https://w3id.org/linkml/ electepedia: https://electepedia.com/schema/electepedia/ elp: https://electepedia.com/id/ schema: http://schema.org/ org: http://www.w3.org/ns/org# person: http://www.w3.org/ns/person# foaf: http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/ opengov: http://www.w3.org/ns/opengov# prov: http://www.w3.org/ns/prov# pav: http://purl.org/pav/ skos: http://www.w3.org/2004/02/skos/core# dcterms: http://purl.org/dc/terms/ rdf: http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns# wd: http://www.wikidata.org/entity/ default_prefix: electepedia default_range: string imports: - linkml:types # ============================================================================= # Slots shared across classes # ============================================================================= slots: id: identifier: true range: uriorcurie description: >- Stable Electepedia identifier, e.g. elp:person/jane-example. External identifiers (Bioguide, FEC, Wikidata...) go in `identifiers`. slot_uri: schema:identifier name: description: Primary display name. slot_uri: schema:name exact_mappings: [foaf:name, skos:prefLabel] description: description: Free-text summary of the record. slot_uri: schema:description exact_mappings: [dcterms:description] url: description: >- Canonical web page for the record, e.g. an official site or the published fact- check. range: uri slot_uri: schema:url identifiers: description: Identifiers for this entity in external registries. range: ExternalIdentifier multivalued: true inlined_as_list: true slot_uri: schema:identifier close_mappings: [dcterms:identifier] start_date: description: Date the role, position, event or period began. range: date slot_uri: schema:startDate close_mappings: [schema:validFrom] end_date: range: date description: Absent means ongoing. slot_uri: schema:endDate close_mappings: [schema:validUntil] organization: description: The organization the record belongs to or takes place in. range: Organization slot_uri: org:organization legislative_session: description: e.g. "119th Congress" or "2025 Regular Session". slot_uri: opengov:legislativeSession topics: description: Subject areas the record is about. range: Topic multivalued: true slot_uri: schema:about role_category: description: Normalized kind of role, for filtering across organizations. range: RoleCategoryEnum in_capacity_of: description: >- The role the speaker held when they said this (e.g. their Senate seat, their slot as a network host, their job as campaign spokesperson). Lets analyses separate what someone said as an official from what they said as a commentator. range: Membership # --- provenance (see HasProvenance) --- sources: description: The source records this record was derived from. range: Source multivalued: true slot_uri: prov:wasDerivedFrom close_mappings: [dcterms:source] recorded_by: description: >- Contributor account or automated pipeline that created this record (e.g. "user:alice", "pipeline:congress-votes@v1"). slot_uri: prov:wasAttributedTo recorded_at: description: >- When the record was created in Electepedia, not when the underlying event happened. range: datetime slot_uri: pav:createdOn record_status: description: >- Whether this record accurately reflects its sources (e.g. the person really said this, the vote really happened this way). This is NOT a judgement on whether a claim is true; that is what ClaimReview is for. range: RecordStatusEnum ifabsent: string(unverified) # ============================================================================= # Classes # ============================================================================= classes: # --------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Container used for validating and exchanging data files # --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dataset: tree_root: true description: A bundle of Electepedia records, e.g. one import batch or an example file. attributes: people: description: Person records in this bundle. range: Person multivalued: true inlined_as_list: true organizations: description: Organization records in this bundle. range: Organization multivalued: true inlined_as_list: true posts: description: Post records in this bundle. range: Post multivalued: true inlined_as_list: true memberships: description: Membership records in this bundle. range: Membership multivalued: true inlined_as_list: true sources: description: Source records in this bundle. range: Source multivalued: true inlined_as_list: true events: description: Event records in this bundle. range: Event multivalued: true inlined_as_list: true statements: description: Statement records in this bundle. range: Statement multivalued: true inlined_as_list: true claims: description: Claim records in this bundle. range: Claim multivalued: true inlined_as_list: true claim_reviews: description: ClaimReview records in this bundle. range: ClaimReview multivalued: true inlined_as_list: true topics: description: Topic records in this bundle. range: Topic multivalued: true inlined_as_list: true bills: description: Bill records in this bundle. range: Bill multivalued: true inlined_as_list: true motions: description: Motion records in this bundle. range: Motion multivalued: true inlined_as_list: true vote_events: description: VoteEvent records in this bundle. range: VoteEvent multivalued: true inlined_as_list: true votes: description: Vote records in this bundle. range: Vote multivalued: true inlined_as_list: true financial_transactions: description: FinancialTransaction records in this bundle. range: FinancialTransaction multivalued: true inlined_as_list: true # --------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Shared building blocks # --------------------------------------------------------------------------- NamedThing: description: >- Base for records that have a display name and may carry external identifiers. abstract: true slots: [id, name, description, identifiers] slot_usage: name: required: true HasProvenance: mixin: true description: Every factual record says where it came from and who recorded it. slots: [sources, recorded_by, recorded_at, record_status] ExternalIdentifier: description: An identifier in an external registry (Popolo Identifier). class_uri: schema:PropertyValue close_mappings: [dcterms:identifier] attributes: scheme: description: The registry the identifier belongs to. range: IdentifierSchemeEnum required: true slot_uri: schema:propertyID value: description: >- The identifier exactly as the registry writes it, e.g. "S000148". required: true slot_uri: schema:value exact_mappings: [skos:notation] OnlineAccount: description: A public account the agent operates (official website, social media). class_uri: schema:ContactPoint attributes: platform: required: true description: e.g. "website", "x", "bluesky", "youtube", "substack". url: description: Link to the account or site. range: uri required: true slot_uri: schema:url handle: description: "Account name on the platform, e.g. \"@example\", if it has one." slot_uri: schema:alternateName # --------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Agents: people and organizations (Popolo) # --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Agent: abstract: true is_a: NamedThing description: Something that can speak, act, publish, send or receive money. class_uri: prov:Agent exact_mappings: [foaf:Agent] attributes: online_accounts: description: Official websites and public social media accounts. range: OnlineAccount multivalued: true inlined_as_list: true slot_uri: schema:contactPoint Person: is_a: Agent description: >- A human in the political ecosystem. One record per human regardless of role: a staffer who becomes a commentator and then a candidate is still one Person with three Memberships. Personal contact details, birth dates and home locations are deliberately not modeled. class_uri: schema:Person exact_mappings: [person:Person, foaf:Person] attributes: given_name: description: First name, as used publicly. slot_uri: schema:givenName exact_mappings: [foaf:givenName] family_name: description: Last name or surname. slot_uri: schema:familyName exact_mappings: [foaf:familyName] additional_name: description: Middle name(s) or initials. slot_uri: schema:additionalName alternate_names: description: >- Other names the person is known by in sources: nicknames, former names, transliterations. multivalued: true slot_uri: schema:alternateName coverage_tier: description: >- Why this person meets Electepedia's inclusion threshold. People who fit no tier should not be recorded. range: CoverageTierEnum required: true Organization: is_a: Agent description: >- Any organization: legislature, chamber, committee, party, agency, campaign, PAC, news outlet, think tank, etc. class_uri: schema:Organization exact_mappings: [org:Organization, foaf:Organization] attributes: classification: description: What kind of organization this is. range: OrganizationTypeEnum required: true slot_uri: org:classification parent_organization: description: >- The organization this one is part of, e.g. a committee's chamber or a program's network. range: Organization slot_uri: schema:parentOrganization exact_mappings: [org:subOrganizationOf] jurisdiction: description: Open Civic Data division ID, e.g. ocd-division/country:us/state:oh. slot_uri: schema:areaServed founding_date: description: When the organization was founded or first convened. range: date slot_uri: schema:foundingDate dissolution_date: description: When the organization ceased to exist. Absent means still active. range: date slot_uri: schema:dissolutionDate url: description: Official website. range: uri slot_uri: schema:url Post: description: >- A position that exists independently of who holds it, e.g. "U.S. Senator for Ohio (Class 1)" or "Anchor, Evening News". Optional: many Memberships (staff, contributors) have no formal Post. class_uri: org:Post slots: [id, organization, role_category, start_date, end_date] slot_usage: organization: required: true slot_uri: org:postIn attributes: label: description: "Name of the position, e.g. \"U.S. Senator for Ohio (Class 1)\"." required: true slot_uri: skos:prefLabel district: description: Open Civic Data division ID of the seat's district, if any. slot_uri: schema:areaServed Membership: mixins: [HasProvenance] description: >- A dated role linking a Person to an Organization, optionally in a Post. This is how every role is represented: office, candidacy, staff job, newsroom job, recurring commentator slot, party office, lobbying client. class_uri: org:Membership slots: [id, organization, role_category, start_date, end_date] slot_usage: organization: required: true role_category: required: true attributes: member: description: The person holding the role. range: Person required: true slot_uri: org:member post: description: The formal position held, if the role has one. range: Post slot_uri: opengov:post exact_mappings: [org:post] role_title: description: Title as used by the organization, e.g. "Press Secretary". slot_uri: schema:roleName close_mappings: [org:role] # --------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Provenance # --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Source: description: >- A document, recording, dataset or post that evidences other records. Prefer primary sources (official records, full recordings, original posts) over coverage of them. class_uri: schema:CreativeWork exact_mappings: [prov:Entity] slots: [id, url, name] slot_usage: url: required: true name: description: Title of the work. attributes: source_type: description: What kind of material this is. range: SourceTypeEnum required: true is_primary: range: boolean description: True if this is the original record rather than a report about it. publisher: description: >- Organization that published the source, e.g. a news outlet or government body. range: Organization slot_uri: schema:publisher authors: description: People or organizations credited as authors. range: Agent multivalued: true slot_uri: schema:author date_published: description: When the source was published. range: date slot_uri: schema:datePublished retrieved_on: range: datetime description: When Electepedia fetched or captured this source. slot_uri: pav:retrievedOn archived_at: range: uri description: Archived copy (e.g. Wayback Machine) in case the original changes or disappears. slot_uri: schema:archivedAt content_hash: description: SHA-256 (hex) of the captured content, for tamper evidence. pattern: "^[0-9a-f]{64}$" # --------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Speech, claims and fact-checks (schema.org) # --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Event: is_a: NamedThing mixins: [HasProvenance] description: >- Something that happened at a time: a debate, hearing, interview, broadcast segment, press conference. Rhetornet extends this for debates. class_uri: schema:Event slots: [start_date, end_date, url, topics] attributes: event_type: description: What kind of event this is. range: EventTypeEnum required: true start_time: range: datetime description: Precise start, when known; `start_date` is always set. location: description: >- Where it took place, as free text, e.g. "Cleveland, OH" or "Senate floor". slot_uri: schema:location organizers: description: >- Who held or hosted the event, e.g. a broadcaster, committee or campaign. range: Agent multivalued: true slot_uri: schema:organizer participants: description: >- People who spoke or took part, e.g. debaters, witnesses, panelists, hosts. range: Person multivalued: true slot_uri: schema:performer close_mappings: [schema:attendee] Statement: mixins: [HasProvenance] description: >- Something a specific person actually said or wrote, on a specific occasion. The checkable proposition(s) inside it are modeled as Claims, so the same claim can be traced across many speakers and outlets. class_uri: schema:Quotation related_mappings: [opengov:Speech] slots: [id, topics, in_capacity_of] slot_usage: sources: required: true attributes: text: required: true description: Verbatim where possible; see `quote_type`. slot_uri: schema:text speaker: description: The person who said or wrote it. range: Person required: true slot_uri: schema:creator close_mappings: [schema:spokenByCharacter] quote_type: description: How faithful `text` is to the original wording. range: QuoteTypeEnum required: true statement_type: description: What kind of utterance this is. Only claims are fact-checked. range: StatementTypeEnum date_made: description: When it was said or first published. range: date required: true slot_uri: schema:dateCreated event: description: The event where it was said, if any. range: Event slot_uri: schema:recordedAt media_start_seconds: range: float minimum_value: 0 description: Offset into the source recording where the statement starts. media_end_seconds: description: Offset into the source recording where the statement ends. range: float minimum_value: 0 Claim: mixins: [HasProvenance] description: >- A checkable proposition in canonical wording, independent of who said it. Multiple Statements can make the same Claim. class_uri: schema:Claim slots: [id, topics] attributes: text: description: The proposition in canonical, neutral wording. required: true slot_uri: schema:text appearances: range: Statement multivalued: true description: Statements that make this claim. slot_uri: schema:appearance first_appearance: range: Statement description: Earliest known statement making this claim. slot_uri: schema:firstAppearance ClaimReview: mixins: [HasProvenance] description: >- A fact-check of a Claim, either imported from a third-party fact-checker (as published in their schema.org ClaimReview markup) or produced by Electepedia contributors. class_uri: schema:ClaimReview slots: [id, url] attributes: item_reviewed: description: The Claim being fact-checked. range: Claim required: true slot_uri: schema:itemReviewed claim_reviewed: description: The claim as worded by the reviewer. slot_uri: schema:claimReviewed author: range: Agent required: true description: The fact-checking organization or person. slot_uri: schema:author review_rating: description: The reviewer's verdict. range: Rating required: true inlined: true slot_uri: schema:reviewRating date_published: description: When the fact-check was published. range: date required: true slot_uri: schema:datePublished review_body: description: Summary of the reviewer's reasoning. slot_uri: schema:reviewBody Rating: description: >- The reviewer's verdict on their own scale, plus Electepedia's mapping onto a common scale so verdicts from different checkers can be compared. class_uri: schema:Rating attributes: alternate_name: required: true description: The verdict as published, e.g. "Mostly False", "Four Pinocchios". slot_uri: schema:alternateName rating_value: description: Numeric verdict on the reviewer's own scale, if they publish one. range: float slot_uri: schema:ratingValue best_rating: description: Value of the most-true verdict on the reviewer's scale. range: float slot_uri: schema:bestRating worst_rating: description: Value of the least-true verdict on the reviewer's scale. range: float slot_uri: schema:worstRating normalized_rating: description: The verdict mapped onto Electepedia's common scale. range: NormalizedRatingEnum required: true Topic: description: A subject area, arranged in a hierarchy. class_uri: skos:Concept slots: [id, name, description] slot_usage: name: required: true slot_uri: skos:prefLabel attributes: broader: description: >- The parent topic, e.g. "Medicare" is narrower than "Health care". range: Topic slot_uri: skos:broader # --------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Legislation and votes (Popolo opengov) # --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bill: is_a: NamedThing mixins: [HasProvenance] description: A piece of legislation. `name` is its title. class_uri: schema:Legislation slots: [legislative_session, url, topics] attributes: legislation_identifier: required: true description: e.g. "H.R. 1234". slot_uri: schema:legislationIdentifier legislature: description: The legislature or chamber where the bill was introduced. range: Organization required: true slot_uri: schema:legislationJurisdiction sponsors: description: Legislators who sponsored or cosponsored the bill. range: Person multivalued: true slot_uri: schema:sponsor Motion: mixins: [HasProvenance] description: A formal proposal put to a vote (passage, amendment, cloture...). class_uri: opengov:Motion slots: [id, organization, legislative_session] slot_usage: organization: required: true description: The chamber or committee voting. attributes: text: required: true description: e.g. "On Passage of the Bill". slot_uri: schema:text classification: description: What the motion proposes. range: MotionTypeEnum slot_uri: schema:additionalType bill: description: The bill the motion concerns, if any. range: Bill date_submitted: description: When the motion was made. range: date slot_uri: dcterms:dateSubmitted VoteEvent: mixins: [HasProvenance] description: A single vote held on a Motion, with its tallies. class_uri: opengov:VoteEvent slots: [id, start_date] slot_usage: start_date: required: true attributes: motion: description: The motion voted on. range: Motion required: true slot_uri: opengov:motion result: description: Whether the motion passed. range: VoteResultEnum slot_uri: opengov:result counts: description: Tallies per vote option, as officially reported. range: Count multivalued: true inlined_as_list: true slot_uri: opengov:count Count: description: The number of votes for one option in a VoteEvent. class_uri: opengov:Count attributes: option: range: VoteOptionEnum required: true description: Popolo encodes this as the Count's rdf:type (opengov:YesCount etc.). slot_uri: schema:option related_mappings: [rdf:type] value: description: Number of votes recorded for this option. range: integer required: true minimum_value: 0 slot_uri: rdf:value Vote: mixins: [HasProvenance] description: How one person voted in one VoteEvent. class_uri: opengov:Vote slots: [id, in_capacity_of] attributes: vote_event: description: The vote this was cast in. range: VoteEvent required: true slot_uri: opengov:voteEvent voter: description: The legislator who voted. range: Person required: true slot_uri: schema:agent option: description: How they voted. range: VoteOptionEnum required: true slot_uri: schema:option # --------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Money # --------------------------------------------------------------------------- FinancialTransaction: mixins: [HasProvenance] description: >- Money moving between two agents: a contribution to a campaign committee, an independent expenditure, a speaking fee, a lobbying payment. Either side can be a Person or an Organization. class_uri: schema:MoneyTransfer slots: [id, description] slot_usage: sources: required: true attributes: sender: description: Who the money came from. range: Agent required: true slot_uri: schema:sender recipient: description: Who received the money (for expenditures, the payee). range: Agent required: true slot_uri: schema:recipient amount: description: Amount in `currency`, as reported. range: decimal required: true minimum_value: 0 slot_uri: schema:amount currency: description: ISO 4217 code. pattern: "^[A-Z]{3}$" ifabsent: string(USD) slot_uri: schema:currency transaction_date: description: When the money changed hands, or the date given in the filing. range: date required: true slot_uri: schema:startTime transaction_type: description: What kind of payment this is. range: TransactionTypeEnum required: true # ============================================================================= # Enumerations # ============================================================================= enums: RecordStatusEnum: description: Whether a record has been checked against its sources. permissible_values: unverified: description: Entered but not yet checked against its sources. verified: description: Checked against its sources by a reviewer. disputed: description: Someone has challenged that the record matches its sources. retracted: description: Found not to match its sources; kept for audit, hidden from display. CoverageTierEnum: description: Inclusion tiers. Anyone outside these is out of scope. permissible_values: officeholder: description: Current or former elected or appointed public official, or judge. candidate: description: Has filed or publicly declared for public office. senior_staff: description: >- Senior government, party or campaign staff who are publicly listed or speak publicly in that role (chiefs of staff, campaign managers, spokespeople, communications directors). Junior staff are excluded. media_figure: description: >- Journalist, editor, host or commentator with regular bylines or air time in a political capacity. public_figure: description: >- Other people with a sustained public role in politics: lobbyists of record, major donors, think-tank leaders, advocacy-group leaders. RoleCategoryEnum: description: >- Normalized kinds of role, independent of each organization's own job titles. permissible_values: elected_official: appointed_official: judge: candidate: government_staff: campaign_staff: party_official: spokesperson: journalist: editor: host: description: Anchor or host of a news, talk or opinion program. commentator: description: Pundit, columnist, contributor or recurring guest analyst. lobbyist: executive: advocate: member: description: Generic membership (e.g. party member, caucus member). OrganizationTypeEnum: description: Kinds of organization. permissible_values: legislature: chamber: committee: caucus: description: >- Members grouped by party, ideology or interest within a legislature. executive_agency: court: political_party: campaign: description: A candidate's campaign or principal campaign committee. pac: description: >- Political action committee that contributes to candidates within legal limits. super_pac: description: >- Independent-expenditure-only committee: raises unlimited sums but may not coordinate with candidates. news_outlet: think_tank: advocacy_group: lobbying_firm: fact_checker: corporation: nonprofit: other: IdentifierSchemeEnum: description: External registries whose identifiers Electepedia stores. permissible_values: wikidata: description: Wikidata QID, e.g. Q42. bioguide: description: U.S. Congress Biographical Directory ID. fec_candidate: description: FEC candidate ID. fec_committee: description: FEC committee ID. ocd_person: description: Open Civic Data person ID (used by Open States). ocd_organization: ocd_division: govtrack: opensecrets: votesmart: ballotpedia: congress_bill: description: congress.gov bill ID, e.g. 119-hr-1234. other: SourceTypeEnum: description: Kinds of evidence a Source can be. permissible_values: official_record: description: Government record (roll call, filing, transcript of record). dataset: video: audio: transcript: article: social_media_post: press_release: fact_check: other: EventTypeEnum: description: Kinds of event. permissible_values: debate: town_hall: hearing: floor_session: interview: broadcast: podcast: press_conference: speech: rally: other: QuoteTypeEnum: description: >- How close a Statement's text is to the speaker's own words, strongest evidence first. permissible_values: direct_quote: description: Verbatim from a recording or the speaker's own text. transcript_excerpt: description: From a transcript not yet checked against the recording. written: description: Written by the speaker (post, op-ed, letter). paraphrase: description: A reported summary; weakest evidence of exact wording. StatementTypeEnum: description: Kinds of utterance. permissible_values: claim: description: An assertion of fact. promise: prediction: opinion: question: NormalizedRatingEnum: description: Common scale that every reviewer's verdict is mapped onto. permissible_values: "true": mostly_true: mixed: mostly_false: "false": misleading: description: Technically accurate but presented to mislead. unsupported: description: No evidence either way, or too early to tell. MotionTypeEnum: description: Kinds of motion. permissible_values: passage: amendment: cloture: procedural: nomination: treaty: veto_override: other: VoteResultEnum: description: Outcome of a vote. permissible_values: pass: fail: other: VoteOptionEnum: description: How a legislator can be recorded in a vote. permissible_values: "yes": "no": abstain: description: Formally abstained, where the rules provide for it. present: description: >- Answered "present": counted toward quorum without taking a side. absent: description: Recorded as absent. not_voting: description: >- Recorded as not voting, with no more specific reason (U.S. Congress records absences this way). paired: description: >- Paired with a member on the other side, so that neither vote is counted. TransactionTypeEnum: description: Kinds of payment. permissible_values: contribution: independent_expenditure: description: >- Spending to support or oppose a candidate without coordinating with them. loan: description: Money lent, including candidates' loans to their own campaigns. salary: description: Regular pay from an employer, e.g. a campaign paying its staff. speaking_fee: gift: lobbying_payment: other: