About On Data and Democracy

Welcome to On Data and Democracy. This publication brings rigorous, data-driven analysis to the most urgent challenges facing American democracy. From courts to campaigns, power to policy, it aims to illuminate the challenges—and potential paths forward—for American democracy.

I’m Adam Bonica, a Professor of Political Science at Stanford University. My research sits at the intersection of data science and politics. Over the past decade, I’ve built large-scale datasets to measure ideology, track political money, analyze elections, and study the behavior of politicians, judges, and other key actors. With On Data and Democracy, I translate that work into accessible, timely, and actionable analysis for engaged citizens, policymakers, journalists, and fellow researchers.

As a subscriber, you’ll receive regular posts that dig deeper than the headlines, including:

• The Judiciary Under Pressure

  Data-rich analysis of the courts and their role in upholding (or undermining) the rule of law.

• Election Analysis

  Drawing on massive datasets of voters, donors, candidates, and outcomes to track real trends in U.S. elections.

• The Mechanics of Power

  Clear explainers of the political and institutional levers that strengthen or erode democracy.

• Money, Influence, and Inequality

  Evidence-based investigations of campaign finance and the data behind who really holds power.

• Big Ideas for the Future

  Explorations of bold, data-informed reforms to meet democracy’s structural challenges.

If you care about democracy—and want to understand it through the lens of data—this is the place for you.