Does it work? Who made it work? How do you copy it?
WAKE the WOKE grades real down-ballot policies on two questions, not one: did it work, and what did it cost in freedom. Every claim is tied to a primary source — and when the evidence favors the idealist policy, we say so.
What this site does
Idealistic policy often overburdens the systems and people it governs. We take the best version of each idea in its proponents' own words, then test it against measured outcomes — predicted versus actual, with the caveats and confounders spelled out. Each explainer ends on the real tradeoff, not a foregone verdict, and carries a Liberty check that names the competing freedoms evenhandedly.
If you vote
See what worked, what didn't, and who on your ballot delivered which — sorted by the office you're actually voting for.
Find your race →If you govern or run
A growing library of allies and mentors: the sponsors who passed what worked, with official public contact channels.
See the scorecards →If you're just curious
How we grade, the 0–24 rubric, and the rules we hold ourselves to — including when the data favors the other side.
Read the methodology →New York City's 'City of Yes' Housing Reform
A citywide zoning rewrite that legalized a little more housing in every neighborhood. One year in, permits are up - but the units are still mostly on paper.
Find your race
Jump straight to the officials and sponsors tied to your ballot, filtered by office:
School BoardCounty Superintendent / EducationWater / Utility DistrictCity CouncilMayorCounty Commission / SupervisorSheriffDistrict Attorney / ProsecutorState HouseState SenateGovernor / ExecutiveFire / EMS DistrictLibrary DistrictParks & Recreation DistrictTransit Agency / BoardJudicial (elected)Ballot MeasureNew this iteration
Browse all issues → · See the rankings → · The Allies & Mentors directory →