Metadata-Version: 1.0
Name: python-votesmart
Version: 0.3.3
Summary: Libraries for interacting with the Project Vote Smart API
Home-page: http://github.com/sunlightlabs/python-votesmart/
Author: James Turk <jturk@sunlightfoundation.com>
Author-email: jturk@sunlightfoundation.com
License: BSD
Description: ================
        python-votesmart
        ================
        
        Python library for interacting with the Project Vote Smart API.
        
        The Project Vote Smart API provides detailed information on politicians,
        including bios, votes, and NPAT responses.
        (http://votesmart.org/services_api.php)
        
        python-votesmart is a project of Sunlight Labs (c) 2008.
        Written by James Turk <jturk@sunlightfoundation.com>.
        
        All code is under a BSD-style license, see LICENSE for details.
        
        Homepage: http://pypi.python.org/pypi/python-votesmart/
        
        Source: http://github.com/sunlightlabs/python-votesmart/
        
        
        Requirements
        ============
        
        python >= 2.4
        
        simplejson >= 1.8 (not required with python 2.6, will use built in json module)
        
        
        Installation
        ============
        To install run
        
            ``python setup.py install``
        
        which will install the library into python's site-packages directory.
        
        
        Usage
        =====
        
        To initialize the api, all that is required is for it to be imported and for an
        API key to be defined.
        
        (If you do not have an API key visit http://votesmart.org/services_api.php to
        register for one.)
        
        Import ``votesmart`` from ``votesmart``:
            
            >>> from votesmart import votesmart
            
        And set your API key:
        
            >>> votesmart.apikey = '<YOUR KEY>'
        
        ---------------
        address methods
        ---------------
        
        Official API documentation at http://api.votesmart.org/docs/Address.html
        
        The methods ``getCampaign(candidateId)``, ``getCampaignByElection(electionId)``,
        and ``getOffice(candidateId)`` all return a list of ``Address`` objects based on
        the provided election or candidate id.
        
        Example of getting Nancy Pelosi's office:
        
            >>> addr = votesmart.address.getOffice(26732)[0]
            >>> print addr.street, addr.city, addr.state
            235 Cannon House Office Building Washington DC
        
        ``getCampaignWebAddress(candidateId)`` and ``getOfficeWebAddress(candidateId)``
        return a list of ``WebAddress`` objects based on the provided election or
        candidate id.
        
        Example of getting Nancy Pelosi's web addresses:
            >>> for x in votesmart.address.getOfficeWebAddress(26732):
            ...     print x
            https://pelosi.house.gov/contact/email-me.shtml
            http://www.house.gov/pelosi/
            AmericanVoices@mail.house.gov
        
        --------------------
        candidatebio methods
        --------------------
        
        Official API documentation at http://api.votesmart.org/docs/CandidateBio.html
        
        ``getBio(candidateId)`` and ``getAddlBio(candidateId)`` get a Bio object and
        a series of AddlBio objects.
        
        Example of getting Nancy Pelosi's bio:
        
            >>> bio = votesmart.candidatebio.getBio(26732)
            >>> print 'Born', bio.birthDate, 'in', bio.birthPlace
            Born 03/26/1940 in Baltimore, MD
            
            >>> for fact in votesmart.candidatebio.getAddlBio(26732):
            ...     print fact
            Father's Occupation: Congressman for Baltimore, Mayor of Baltimore
            Number of Grandchildren: 5
        
        ------------------
        candidates methods
        ------------------
        
        Official API documentation at http://api.votesmart.org/docs/Candidates.html
        
        * ``getByOfficeState(officeId, stateId=None, electionYear=None)``
        * ``getByLastname(lastName, electionYear=None)``
        * ``getByLevenstein(lastName, electionYear=None)``
        * ``getByElection(electionId)``
        * ``getByDistrict(districtId, electionYear=None)``
        * ``getByZip(zip5, zip4=None)``
        
        All six methods return a list containing one or more Candidate objects.
        
        Example of fetching all candidates for the NJ Gubernatorial race:
        
            >>> for candidate in votesmart.candidates.getByOfficeState(3, 'NJ'):
            ...    print candidate
            Christopher Christie
            Christopher Christie
            Jon Corzine
            Jon Corzine
            Jason Cullen
            Christopher Daggett
            Kenneth Kaplan
            Joshua Leinsdorf
            Brian Levine
            Alvin Lindsay
            David Meiswinkle
            Richard Merkt
            Gregory Pason
            Kostas Petris
            Gary Steele
            Gary Stein
        
        You will notice that several candidates appear twice, this is due to an
        unfortunate issue with the Vote Smart API where candidates with multiple
        parties, or election statuses are duplicated.  Be careful when consuming
        candidate data to dedupe using the fields you find useful.
        
        (See http://github.com/sunlightlabs/python-votesmart/issues/closed/#issue/1)
        
        -----------------
        committee methods
        -----------------
        
        Official API documentation at http://api.votesmart.org/docs/Committee.html
        
        ``getTypes()`` returns a listing of all CommitteeType.
        
        Example:
        
            >>> for c in votesmart.committee.getTypes():
            ...     print c.committeeTypeId, c.name
            H House
            S Senate
            J Joint
        
        ``getCommitteesByTypeState(typeId=None, stateId=None)`` returns a listing of
        Committee objects, if either typeId isn't specified all committees for that
        state will be returned, if state isn't specified then congressional committees
        will be returned.
        
        Example of getting all joint committees:
        
            >>> for c in votesmart.committee.getCommitteesByTypeState(typeId='J'):
            ...     print c
            Joint Committee on Printing
            Joint Committee on Taxation
            Joint Committee on the Library
            Joint Economic Committee
        
        ``getCommittee(committeeId)`` get extended details on a committee in a
        CommitteeDetail object.
        
        Example of getting details on the House Ways & Means committee:
        
            >>> committee = votesmart.committee.getCommittee(23)
            >>> print committee
            Ways and Means
        
        ``getCommitteeMembers(committeeId)`` gets a list of CommitteeMember objects
        representing members of the given committee.
        
        Example of getting all members of the Subcommittee on the Constitution,
        Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties:
        
            >>> for member in votesmart.committee.getCommitteeMembers(4015):
            ...     print member
            Representative Trent Franks
            Representative Mike Pence
            Representative Steven Chabot
            Representative John Conyers
            Representative James Randy Forbes
            Representative James Jordan
            Representative Steve King
            Representative Jerrold Nadler
            Representative Mike Quigley
            Representative Robert Scott
        
        
        ----------------
        district methods
        ----------------
        
        Official API documentation at http://api.votesmart.org/docs/District.html
        
        ``getByOfficeState(officeId, stateId, districtName=None)`` and ``getByZip(zip5, zip4=None)`` return a list of
        District objects matching the specified criteria.
        
        Example of getting all House districts for North Carolina:
        
            >>> for district in votesmart.district.getByOfficeState(5, 'NC'):
            ...     print district
            1
            2
            3
            4
            5
            6
            7
            8
            9
            10
            11
            12
            13
        
        ----------------
        election methods
        ----------------
        
        Official API documentation at 
        
        ``getElection(electionId)`` fetches a single Election object by electionId.
        
        Example of getting details on NC 2008 Gubernatorial election:
        
            >>> election = votesmart.election.getElection(684)
            >>> print election.name
            North Carolina Gubernatorial 2008
            >>> for stage in election.stages:
            ...     print stage.name, stage.electionDate
            Primary 2008-05-06
            General 2008-11-04
        
        
        ``getElectionByYearState(year, stateId=None)`` and ``getElectionByZip(zip5, zip4=None, year=None)`` get all Election objects
        matching a given criteria.  If stateId is not specified it defaults to national
        elections.
        
        Example of getting details on all elections in North Carolina in 2008:
        
            >>> for election in votesmart.election.getElectionByYearState(2008, 'NC'):
            ...     print election
            North Carolina Congressional 2008
            North Carolina Gubernatorial 2008
            North Carolina State Legislative 2008
            North Carolina State Judicial 2008
        
        
        ``getStageCandidates(electionId, stageId, party=None, districtId=None, stateId=None)``
        gets a list of StageCandidate objects matching the given criteria.
        
        Example of getting all North Carolina 2008 Gubernatorial primary candidates:
        
            for candidate in votesmart.election.getStageCandidates(684, 'P')
        
        ------------------
        leadership methods
        ------------------
        
        Official API documentation at http://api.votesmart.org/docs/Leadership.html
        
        ``getPositions(stateId=None, officeId=None)`` gets a list of LeadershipPosition
        objects matching the given criteria.
        
        Example of getting all Alaska leadership positions:
        
            >>> for pos in votesmart.leadership.getPositions('AK'):
            ...     print pos.officeName, pos.name
            State House Speaker
            State Senate President
            State Senate Majority Leader
            State House Majority Leader
            State Senate Minority Leader
            State House Minority Leader
        
        -------------
        local methods
        -------------
        
        Official API documentation at http://api.votesmart.org/docs/Local.html
        
        ``getCounties(stateId)`` and ``getCities(stateId)`` return lists of counties or
        cities as Locality objects.
        
        Example of getting all cities in Alaska:
        
            >>> for city in votesmart.local.getCities('AK'):
            ...     print city.name, city.localId
            Anchorage 1
            Fairbanks 2
            Juneau 4322
            
        ``getOfficials(localId)`` gets all Officials known for a given locality.
        
        Example of getting all officials from Anchorage, AK:
        
            >>> for official in votesmart.local.getOfficials(1)[0:1]:
            ...     print official
            Mayor Mark Begich
        
        ---------------
        measure methods
        ---------------
        
        Official API documentation at http://api.votesmart.org/docs/Measure.html
        
        ``getMeasuresByYearState(year, stateId)`` gets a list of Measure objects for
        the provided year and state.
        
        Example of getting all 2008 Maryland Ballot Measures:
        
            >>> for measure in votesmart.measure.getMeasuresByYearState(2008, 'MD'):
            ...     print measure.measureId, measure.title
            1260 Video Lottery
            1261 Early Voting
        
        ``getMeasure(measureId)`` gets a MeasureDetail object providing more details
        about a particular measure.
        
        Example of getting more details on Maryland 2008 Early Voting measure:
        
            >>> measure = votesmart.measure.getMeasure(1260)
            >>> print measure.source       # just print the url -- summary is long
            http://www.elections.state.md.us/elections/2008/questions/index.html
        
        ------------
        npat methods
        ------------
        
        Official API documentation at http://api.votesmart.org/docs/Npat.html
        
        NPATs are not converted into objects, the getNpat method is exceptional in that
        it returns a python dict representing the NPAT in question.
        
        Example of checking John McCain's NPAT:
        
            >>> print votesmart.npat.getNpat(53270)['surveyMessage']
            refused  to tell citizens where he/she stands on any of the issues addressed in the 2010 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart, national media, and prominent political leaders.
        
        
        --e-----------
        office methods
        --------------
        
        Official API documentation at http://api.votesmart.org/docs/Office.html
        
        ``getTypes()`` gets a list of OfficeType objects representing all office types
        that the PVS API tracks.
        
        Example call:
        
            >>> for type in votesmart.office.getTypes():
            ...     print type
            P: Presidential and Cabinet
            C: Congressional
            J: Supreme Court
            G: Governor and Cabinet
            K: State Judicial
            L: State Legislature
            S: State Wide
            H: Local Judicial
            N: Local Legislative
            M: Local Executive
        
        ``getBranches()`` gets a list of OfficeBranch objects representing all branches
        that the PVS API tracks.
        
        Example call:
        
            >>> for branch in votesmart.office.getBranches():
            ...     print branch
            E: Executive
            L: Legislative
            J: Judicial
        
        ``getLevels()`` gets a list of all OfficeLevel objects representing all office
        levels that the PVS API tracks.
        
        Example call:
        
            >>> for level in votesmart.office.getLevels():
            ...     print level
            F: Federal
            S: State
            L: Local
        
        ``getOfficesByType(typeId)``, ``getOfficesByLevel(levelId)``,
        ``getOfficesByTypeLevel(typeId, levelId)``, and 
        ``getOfficesByBranchLevel(branchId, levelId)`` return a list of Office objects
        based on the provided parameters.
        
        Example of getting all Executive titles for the Local level:
        
            >>> for office in votesmart.office.getOfficesByBranchLevel('E', 'L'):
            ...     print office
            Freeholder
            Mayor
            Public Advocate
            Council
            Comptroller
            Village Manager
        
        -----------------
        officials methods
        -----------------
        
        Official API documentation at http://api.votesmart.org/docs/Officials.html
        
        * ``getStatewide(stateId=None)``
        * ``getByOfficeState(officeId, stateId=None)``
        * ``getByLastname(lastName)``
        * ``getByLevenstein(lastName)``
        * ``getByElection(electionId)``
        * ``getByDistrict(districtId)``
        * ``getByZip(zip5, zip4=None)``
        
        All officials methods return a list containing one or more Candidate objects.
        
        Example of fetching all senators from California.
        
            >>> for official in votesmart.officials.getByOfficeState(6, 'CA'):
            ...    print official
            Senator Barbara Boxer
            Senator Dianne Feinstein
        
        --------------
        rating methods
        --------------
        
        Official API documentation at http://api.votesmart.org/docs/Rating.html
        
        ``getCategories(stateId=None)`` gets a list of Category objects for a given
        state (national if no state provided).
        
        Example of getting a few of the issue categories for New York:
        
            >>> for category in votesmart.rating.getCategories('NY')[0:5]:
            ...     print category
            2: Abortion Issues
            5: Animal Rights and Wildlife Issues
            11: Business and Consumers
            13: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
            17: Conservative
        
        ``getSigList(categoryId, stateId=None)`` gets a list of Sig objects representing
        all special interest groups associated with a particular category.  Optionally
        a state can be provided to restrict results to a SIG operating within a
        particular state.
        
        Example of getting a few groups concerned with Environmental Issues:
        
            >>> for sig in votesmart.rating.getSigList(30)[0:5]:
            ...     print sig
            934: American Lands Alliance
            1081: American Wilderness Coalition
            1702: American Wind Energy Association
            1107: California Park & Recreation Society
            292: Citizens for Health - Food, Water & Ecological Health Rating
        
        
        ``getSig(sigId)`` gets all details available for a special interest group.
        
        Example getting all details for Sierra Club:
        
            >>> sig = votesmart.rating.getSig(657)
            >>> print sig.address, sig.city, sig.state
            408 C Street, Northeast Washington DC
            
        ``getCandidateRating(candidateId, sigId)`` gets a Rating object representing
        a candidate's rating by a particular special interest group.
        
        Example checking how Sierra Club rated Nancy Pelosi:
        
            >>> for rating in votesmart.rating.getCandidateRating(26732, 657):
            ...     print rating
        
        -------------
        state methods
        -------------
        
        Official API documentation at http://api.votesmart.org/docs/State.html
        
        ``getStateIDs()`` returns State objects for all states (and state-like entities)
        
        Example of printing a few of the states returned from getStateIds:
        
            >>> for state in votesmart.state.getStateIDs()[0:5]:
            ...     print state
            NA National
            AS American Samoa
            FL Florida
            MI Michigan
            MO Missouri
        
        ``getState(stateId)`` returns a StateDetail object with all known details on
        a given state.
        
        Example of getting several details about the state of Virginia:
        
            >>> va = votesmart.state.getState('VA')
            >>> print va.population, va.motto
            7,882,590 (2009) Sic Semper Tyrannis [Thus Always to Tyrants]
        
        -------------
        votes methods
        -------------
        
        Official API documentation at http://api.votesmart.org/docs/Votes.html
        
        ``getCategories(year, stateId=None)`` gets a list of Category objects for a
        given year and optionally a state (national if no state provided).
        
        Example of getting a few of the national bill categories for 2008:
        
            >>> for category in votesmart.votes.getCategories(2008)[0:5]:
            ...     print category
            2: Abortion Issues
            4: Agriculture Issues
            5: Animal Rights and Wildlife Issues
            10: Budget, Spending and Taxes
            11: Business and Consumers
        
        ``getBill(billId)`` returns a BillDetail object providing details on a particular
        bill.
        
        Example of getting details on HR 7321 Auto Industry Financing bill:
        
            >>> bill = votesmart.votes.getBill(8528)
            >>> print bill.officialTitle
            HR 7321:  To authorize financial assistance to eligible automobile manufacturers, and for other purposes.
            >>> for sponsor in bill.sponsors:
            ...     print sponsor
            Barney  Frank
            >>> for action in bill.actions:
            ...     print action
            2008-12-10 - Introduced
            2008-12-10 - Passage
            
        
        ``getBillAction(actionId)`` returns a BillAction object providing details on
        a particular action taken on a bill.
        
        Example of getting details on an action for HR 5576:
        
            >>> print votesmart.votes.getBillAction(8272)
            HR 5576: Making appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, Treasury, and Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, District of Columbia, and independent agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007, and for other purposes.
        
        ``getBillActionVotes(actionId)`` and
        ``getBillActionVoteByOfficial(actionId, candidateId)`` retrieve lists of Vote
        objects for a given action (and official).
        
        Example of getting Nancy Pelosi's vote on passage of HR 7321:
        
            >>> print votesmart.votes.getBillActionVoteByOfficial(23069, 26732)
            Pelosi, Nancy: Yea
        
        
        There are 8 methods that return Bill objects based on various parameters:
        
        * ``getByBillNumber(billNumber)``
        * ``getBillsByCategoryYearState(categoryId, year, stateId=None)``
        * ``getBillsByYearState(year, stateId=None)``
        * ``getBillsByOfficialYearOffice(candidateId, year, officeId=None)``
        * ``getBillsByCandidateCategoryOffice(candidateId, categoryId, officeId=None)``
        * ``getBillsBySponsorYear(candidateId, year)``
        * ``getBillsBySponsorCategory(candidateId, categoryId)``
        * ``getBillsByStateRecent(stateId=None, amount=None)``
        
        Example of getting a few recently tracked bills for 2008:
        
            >>> for bill in votesmart.votes.getBillsByYearState(2008)[-5:]:
            ...     print bill
            HR 3997 Financial Asset Purchase Authority
            HR 7321 Automotive Industry Financing
            H Res 982 Contempt Charges
            HR 5501 Funding to Combat AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis
            HR 415 Adding Parts of the Taunton River to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System
        
        
        ``getVetoes(candidateId)`` returns all vetoes for a particular executive.
        
        Example of getting all of George W. Bush's vetoes:
        
            >>> for veto in votesmart.votes.getVetoes(22369):
            ...     print veto
            HR 6331 Medicare Bill
            HR 6124 Second Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill)
            HR 2419 Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (Farm Bill)
            HR 1585 
            HR 3963 Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (CHIP)
            HR 976 State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization
            S 5 Stem Cell Research Act of 2007
            HR 1591 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill of 2007 with Iraq Withdrawal Timeline
        
Platform: any
Classifier: Development Status :: 3 - Alpha
Classifier: Intended Audience :: Developers
Classifier: License :: OSI Approved :: BSD License
Classifier: Natural Language :: English
Classifier: Operating System :: OS Independent
Classifier: Programming Language :: Python
Classifier: Topic :: Software Development :: Libraries :: Python Modules
