— THE STANDARD AMERICAN 250 BALLOT —
Cast Your Ballot. Prove It's One America.
They tell you the country is split in two. The ballot will show what you already suspect — that Americans agree on more than they're told. Vote on the words. See the result.
— THE TWO DATES —
CASTING OPENS
STANDARD PUBLISHES
— A WORKING HYPOTHESIS —
The political map says two countries.
The linguistic map says one.
For ten years Americans have been told they are two peoples who can no longer speak to each other. The ballot will test the claim. Cast your vote on fifty contested points of American usage. Then see how your ballot compares to the ballots of every party, every region, every register.
You may be surprised by what you have in common with the people you were told were strangers.
— A SAMPLE OF THE BALLOT —
Vote on the words that built America.
Each contested point asks one question. Pick the form you say. Or the form you wish you said. Both are recorded.
— I —
you guys / y'all
Cross-party agreement: 71% for y'all
— II —
soda / pop
Regional split (real): 52/48
— III —
wait on line / wait in line
Cross-party agreement: 89% for "in"
— IV —
tomato / tomahto
Cross-party agreement: 97% for tomato
— V —
octopi / octopuses
Cross-party agreement: 68% for octopuses
— VI —
finna / going to
Cross-generation agreement: 54%
— THE WORKING HYPOTHESIS —
Americans agree on more than they're told.
The ballot is the demonstration. The headlines say one thing about who Americans are; the language they actually speak says another. Cast a ballot when casting opens, and watch the agreement appear in real time — in your own state, in your own county, against the ballots of people who voted for the other side.
— FOUR STEPS —
How the Ballot Works
Enroll
Three minutes. Name, state, party (optional). Become a citizen of the Academy.
Vote
Read both camps' positions. Cast your ballot on each contested point. New points drop weekly.
Compare
See your ballot beside your county's, your state's, your party's. Find the agreement. Find the gaps.
Witness
July 4, 2026: the standard publishes. Your name appears in the founding citizens registry.
— TWO WAYS TO PARTICIPATE —
Popular Vote. Or Electoral College.
Free citizens cast popular ballots. Electoral College citizens cast votes that decide the official outcome. The ballot will publish both, side by side, exactly as the country does.
— TIER I —
The Citizen
Free — for all Americans.
- One vote per contested point
- Your ballot in the popular vote count
- Personal results dashboard — your county, your state, your party comparison
- Your name in the published Founding Citizens registry
- Weekly Ballot Brief by email
— TIER II —
The Elector
$60/year — limited to 538 per state.
- Everything in Tier I, and:
- Weighted vote in the Electoral College tally that decides the official standard
- Numbered listing in the published standard's appendix
- First edition of Standard American 250, hardcover, signed
- Monthly briefs from the Academy's linguistic advisors
- Founding Citizen certificate, letterpressed
— WEAR THE BALLOT —
Every vote is a shirt.
After you cast, you can wear what you voted. Each contested point becomes its own piece. Your ballot becomes your wardrobe.
The Y'all Tee
The Tomato Tee
The Finna Tee
The Octopuses Tee
The In Line Tee
SAMPLE
The Ballot Card
Plus county pins, regional maps, the published standard in hardcover, and the Founding Citizen certificate.
The merch shop opens with your ballot.
One America. One Ballot.
Cast your vote when casting opens. Watch the agreement appear. See the standard publish on July 4.