
For instance, we added two new categories: voting rights and trade policy. We tried to select policy areas that we felt the administration and the country are currently focusing on. We’re not passing judgment on whether every person’s influence is for the greater good. Some names or companies may strike you as having a harmful effect. We also didn’t include elected officials and Hill or administration staff-the “influencees,” so to speak. We’ve chosen people across the ideological spectrum, avoiding big-name “hired guns” whose influence often derives from their communication skills and network. They work on matters many of us don’t follow daily-from making government run better to civil-rights reform. And yes, they’re all wonks in one way or another. They comprehend policy’s nuances and complexities.

They have deep subject-matter expertise and significant understanding of how DC works, with the goal of getting action. We sought out smart, innovative people who care about issues and spend a lot of time thinking about them. This year, we expanded the roster from 250.

What follows is a list of 500 of those stalwarts.

Well, there’s good news for them (and us): The nation’s capital is full of people who aren’t elected but who shape the laws that govern the country and ultimately affect the course of history. Unfortunately, polls have shown that many of those young advocates have little desire to serve in elected office. Now more than ever, young people are eager to see improvements to our country, our climate, and our justice system. Want to Nominate A Policy Influencer for the 2023 List? Email Usįor a long time, people have moved to Washington to change the world.
