Privacy Policy

Effective September 9, 2026

Ranked Choices is a free, open-source service for creating and participating in ranked-choice ballots. We do not sell personal information. This policy explains the information handled by RankedChoices.com and the Ranked Choices mobile apps.

Information you provide

• Ballot content: ballot names, candidate names, configuration, and other content supplied by ballot organizers.
• Voting content: ranked candidate selections and, when an organizer enables them, voter-code or group-question responses. Some website ballots may also request a voter name.
• Account information on the website: information such as a username, email address, and profile image when you choose to register or use a supported sign-in provider. The initial mobile app does not require an account.
• Communications: information you include when contacting support or reporting a problem.

Information collected automatically

• The server records the network IP address associated with a submitted vote. This is used to detect duplicate or fraudulent submissions and to investigate abuse; it is not used for advertising or user profiling. The server may also keep ordinary web-server security and request logs.
• The mobile app generates a random request identifier so a retried vote is not counted twice. For a ballot whose organizer enables one-device-one-vote protection, the app also generates a random installation identifier and sends it with the vote to detect another vote from that installation. It is not an advertising identifier.
• The website may use cookies needed for sessions and account features. It also currently uses Google Analytics to understand website usage. The native app does not use product analytics.
• If privacy-minimized mobile crash reporting is enabled for a release, technical diagnostics may be processed by Sentry. Ranked Choices configures it not to send ballot names, shortcodes, candidates, rankings, voter codes, email addresses, interaction recordings, screenshots, application logs, or default personally identifying information.

Information kept on your device

When a guest creates a ballot in the mobile app, the server returns a high-entropy management credential once. The app stores that credential in encrypted device storage; the server stores only a one-way digest. The app also stores its random installation identifier locally. Removing the app or losing the device may remove access to an unclaimed guest ballot.

How information is used

We use the information described above to:

• create, display, manage, and calculate ballot results;
• accept votes and enforce organizer-selected voting rules;
• prevent duplicate vote submissions and investigate abuse or security incidents;
• operate, troubleshoot, and improve the service; and
• respond to support requests and comply with legal obligations.

Visibility and sharing

A ballot's name, candidates, shortcode, and released results may be visible to anyone who can access its link. Organizers control available ballot settings and should not enter sensitive personal information in public ballot fields. Group responses, voter names, and secure codes may be available to an authorized organizer under the applicable ballot settings.

We may disclose information to infrastructure providers that host or protect the service, to Sentry if mobile crash reporting is enabled, and to Google Analytics for website analytics. We may also disclose information when required by law, to protect the service or its users, or as part of a transfer of the service. We do not sell personal information or use ballot content for advertising.

Retention, deletion, and choices

Ballots and their associated votes are generally retained until the organizer deletes the ballot or the service operator removes it. Website account information is generally retained until the account is deleted. Operational logs, backups, and privacy-minimized crash reports may remain for a limited period under the applicable provider's security and retention practices.

Use the website's available ballot or account deletion controls, or contact us, to request access, correction, or deletion. A request may require information sufficient to verify that you control the affected account or ballot. We may retain information where necessary for security, legal compliance, dispute resolution, or backup integrity. You may disable website analytics using browser controls or applicable consent/opt-out mechanisms.

Security

We use reasonable safeguards appropriate to the service, including encrypted transport, server-side validation, one-way management-token digests, and encrypted device storage for guest management credentials. No storage or transmission system can be guaranteed completely secure.

Children

Ranked Choices is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. Contact us if you believe a child has provided personal information so we can review and, where appropriate, delete it.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as the service changes. The effective date above will be revised when changes are published. Material new data collection, including enabling a new analytics or crash-reporting service, should be reflected here before it begins.

Your rights

If you are located in the EU/EEA, you may have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) including the right to access, correct, or delete your personal data. California law (CCPA) does not apply to this service as it does not meet the applicable thresholds. To exercise any privacy rights, contact davidmoritz@gmail.com.

Contact

Questions, privacy requests, and support requests may be sent to davidmoritz@gmail.com. You can also inspect the source or report a technical issue in the Ranked Choices GitHub repository.