What is an Impact Score and how is it calculated?

The Impact Score is the core of Oath’s model. Our proprietary algorithm analyzes thousands of races across dozens of data points to rate the relative value of your donation in each race. The higher the Impact Score (assigned on a scale of 0-10), the greater the value of your donation in that race.

Our Impact Score is calculated across 3 metrics:

1. Competitiveness: We know additional funding is most effective in the closest races where a small number of votes could change the outcome. Oath uses polling, expert ratings, historic trends and other election forecasting methods to rate how competitive each race is likely to be.
2. Financial Need: While money can increase the probability of victory, there are limits. Oath projects the optimal budget for each race using media market, past fundraising, opponents’ raise and outside spending to evaluate whether more funding is likely to help.
3. Stakes: While every vote matters, turning out additional voters in some races may have a larger impact than others. Oath highly rates races that could determine Democratic control of an entire chamber (tipping point seats) or where one voter may have multiple close elections on their ballot (nested races).