Vote similarity is a measure comparing voting history between every other legislator. These stats between each legislator are a result of collecting high quality data sets and then asking the right questions. In this case it is an n x n (per legislative session and chamber) question, this means in Montana with 150 legislators we’ll generate 12,500 data points. As we compare each legislator we exclude votes where either of the two legislators being compared were absent or excused, this is to only base our results on actual opinions expressed.
In addition to this interactive vote similarity tool, the complete vote similarity feature is located within Statehill directly on legislator pages. By default the top three most similar legislators are displayed—the complete list of legislators relative to a particular person is also available. For any questions, comments, or to learn more about how Statehill tools and data can add value to your legislative operation, get in touch at kjb@statehill.com.