Vote Smart - Special Interest Groups Internship Program

Vote Smart Internship Program Overview

Are you passionate about empowering voters and promoting transparency? Join Vote Smart’s Internship Program, where you'll gain hands-on experience in political research and public service. Contribute to impactful projects that support your career aspirations, and directly support our mission of providing free, factual, and unbiased information on candidates and elected officials to all Americans.

Details

• Duration: Summer 2025 semester, starting May 27, 2025, ending August 22, 2025.
• Commitment: 10–20 hours per week. If you are doing this internship for academic credit, your total and weekly hours may change.
• Location: Remote or Des Moines, IA office.
• Compensation: Unpaid, but academic credit may be available through your institution.
• Candidates must be at minimum a Junior in College.

Special Interest Groups Internship

Overview
The Special Interest Groups (SIGs) program provides voters with information about endorsements and ratings from advocacy organizations. Interns will investigate SIG activities by collecting necessary information released by interest groups. Interns will report to a SIG Research Associate. 

Responsibilities

• Collect, enter, and check data on advocacy group endorsements and ratings.
• Update core information of SIGs (such as; mission statement, demographic information, and more).
• Organize and update information in Vote Smart’s database.
• Identify and report any new SIGs, and any that are inactive.
• Maintain all state research in its entirety.

Ideal Candidate

• Strong research skills and attention to detail.
• Enjoy working with spreadsheets.
• Interest in the role of advocacy groups in politics.