Jenny Greeve - AIGA Design for Democracy in Washington State

AIGA Design for Democracy in Washington State

Jenny Greeve Washington State Election Design Fellow, 2009-2011

Why does design matter in elections?

What’s it like to have a professional designer work with local elections officials?

What can a partnership like this achieve?

Session takeaways

Design for Democracydesigners, researchers, policy-makers & elections officials collaborating to improve elections materials & establish / maintain design standards for elections materials> increased recognition after the infamous “butterfly ballot”> known for “top 10 election design guidelines”

Election Design Fellowscommunication designers working at the state-level on the design of election materials

AIGA Design for Democracy

Design & elections

civic engagementtrust in electionsrisk preventionaccuracyefficiencyeffectiveness

print / web designcopywritingusability testinguser experience

Communication designers deliver

Local elections officials want

!

Florida, 2000: butterfly ballot

Minnesota, 2008: complicated ballot envelopes

Washington, 2009: ballot with race below instructions

Local elections officials must prevent

Evidence-based design

1. Use lowercase letters: Mixed-case letters are more legible than ALL CAPITAL LETTERS because they are easier to recognize.

2. Avoid centered type: Left-aligned type is more legible than centered type, which forces the eye to stop reading in order to find the start of the next line.

3. Use big enough type: “Fine print” is hard to read and may intimidate or alienate voters. Use minimum type sizes: 12-point for optical scan; 25-point for touchscreens. (Following this principle for optical scan ballots may impact printing costs but will be a worthwhile investment in election accuracy.)

4. Pick one sans-serif font: Avoid introducing new fonts, which require the eye to stop reading and adjust. Sans-serif fonts with clean strokes (Arial, Univers, Verdana) are recommended for screen and for the quantity and variation of text found on paper ballots. For dual-language materials, use bold text for the primary language, regular text for the secondary language.

5. Support process and navigation: For optical-scan ballots, offer comprehensive instructions and page numbering. For touchscreen ballots, offer language and mode options, continuous access to instructions, consistent and flexible navigation and clear feedback about selections. Post notable wayfinding and instructional materials in and around the polling place.

6. Use clear, simple language: State instructions and options as simply as possible. Summarize referenda in simple language alongside required formats. Do not include more than two languages on any one material.

7. Use accurate instructional illustrations: Visual instructions help low-literacy and general-population voters. Photo images, which are difficult to shoot and reproduce well, are not recommended. Illustrations must be accurate in their details to avoid misleading voters.

8. Use informational icons (only): Avoid political party icons. Icons that call attention to key information and support navigation are recommended in limited use.

9. Use contrast and color functionally: On optical scan ballots, to differentiate instructions from contents and contests from each other; and on touchscreen ballots, to support navigation, call special attention and provide user feedback. Color cannot be relied on as the only way to communicate important information.

10. Decide what’s most important: Page and screen layout and text sizes should support information hierarchy. For instance, the ballot title should be more prominent than any one contest, a contest header should be more prominent than its candidates’ names and a candidate’s name should be bolder than his/her party affiliation. Candidates’ names and options should be presented with equal importance.

Pop quiz: how many of the Top 10 Election Design Best Practices are being violated in the graphic / type treatment at left? Subversive quiz question: in this instance, does it matter that we’re violating the Top 10?

TOP

TENelectiondesign

Introduction1.1

Effective Designs for theAdministration of Federal Elections

Section 1: Introduction

June 2007

U.S. Election Assistance Commission

Fellowship in Washington State

39 autonomous counties with independently-elected officials

All vote-by-mail state

2 years, 40+ design projects

Statewide & county-specific projects

Fellowship guiding principles

Mission facilitate civic engagement through design

Audiencevia LEOs: voters & potential voters

Skills> diplomacy> persuasion > professionalism > evidence

Tools> understanding > creativity> testing> research> analysis > education

Mantras> design is not an afterthought > design matters

Voter registration form redesignMINI CASE STUDY:

Reasons for redesign > improve usability to gather accurate, complete information> new statute requirements> major administrative shift: will mail directly to county

Process> statewide workgroup 10+ elections officials> 5 rounds / design> 2 rounds / usability

Constraints> not 100% buy-in on need for redesign> complicated language & statute requirements

By signing this document, I hereby assert, under penalty of perjury, that I am legally eligible to vote. If I am found to have voted illegally, I may be prosecuted and/or fined for this illegal act. In addition, I hereby acknowledge that my name and last known address will be forwarded to the appropriate state and/or federal authorities if I am found to have voted illegally. (RCW 29A.08.210)

• I declare that the facts on this registration form are true;• I am a citizen of the United States;• I am not presently denied my civil rights as a result of being convicted of a felony;• I will have lived in Washington state at this address for thirty days immediately before the next election at which I vote;• I will be at least eighteen years old when I vote.(RCW 29A.08.230)

2

1

( )

5

6

7

Mail-In Voter Registration Form

FOR OFFICE USE ONLY

Use Black or Blue Pen Only - Please Print Clearly NAME CHANGE ADDRESS CHANGE SIGNATURE UPDATE NEW REGISTRATION

NOTE: Voter registration requires U.S. Citizenship

NOTE: Previous registration information

Federal and state law require you to provide your Washington Driver’s License number or Washington ID Card number.If you do not have a Washington Driver’s License or Washington ID Card, provide the last four digits of your Social Security Number.

A. Washington Driver’s License or ID Number B. Last four Digits/SSN Date of Birth (MM/DD/YYYY)Check here if you do not have a Washington Driver’s License, ID Card, or SSN.

Last Name

First Name

Daytime Phone Number

Middle Name Email Address (optional)

Washington Residential/Physical Address (Required)

Male

Female

Jr.Sr.

Address Where You Get Your Mail (if different from residential/physical address)

City or Town

City or Town State

ZIP

ZIP

Check any that currently apply Military Domestic Military Foreign National Guard/Reserves U.S. Citizen Overseas

YES NO

I was previously registered under this name and address:

Name

Address

City

County

State ZIP

Sign as previously registered

FOLD HERE

WARNING: If you knowingly provide false information on this voter registration form or knowingly make a false declaration about your qualifications for voter registration, you will have committed a class C felony that is punishable by imprisonment for up to five years, or by a fine of up to ten thousand dollars or both imprisonment and fine. (RCW 29A.08.210)

Voter Declaration

SIGN OR MARK IN THE BOX

NAME

ADDRESS

If you are physically unable to sign your name, please have the person who assisted you in completing this form provide:

DATE SIGNEDMonth/Day/Year

4

3

8

10

11

12

MI 3/07

MOISTEN AND FOLD OVER TO SEAL

ONGOING ABSENTEE REQUEST NOTE: If your county is vote by mail, do not complete this section. A ballot will be mailed to you automatically.

I would like to receive absentee ballots for all future elections9

Will you be at least 18 years of age or older before Election Day?Are you a citizen of the United States?

YES

YES

NO

NO last name first name middle

date of birth (mm / dd / yyyy) phone number* male female

residential address (in Washington)

city zip

mailing address (if different than residential address)

city state / zip

email address*

I am in the Armed Forces (includes National Guard and Reserves)

I am a U.S. citizen living outside the U.S.

personal information

if you mark no to either of these questions, do not complete this form

I am a citizen of the United States of America. yes no

I will be at least 18 years old by the next election. yes no

qualifications

Washington State Voter Registration Form

I declare that the facts on this voter registration form are true. I am a citizen of the United States, I am not presently denied the right to vote as a result of being convicted of a felony, I will have lived in Washington at this address for thirty days immediately before the next election at which I vote, and I will be at least 18 years old when I vote.

oath

if you are already registered and are changing your name or address, fill out this section (this information will be used to update your registration)

former last name first name middle

former residential address city state / zip

instructions

fold

here

moisten glue strip above and fold over to seal

Washington driver’s license / state ID #

former registration

You must be a United States citizen to register to vote.

how to register to vote or update a registration

Please print all information clearly using black or blue pen.

Mail or deliver this form to your County Elections Office. Addresses are on reverse.

for more information

online www.vote.wa.gov

call 1-800-448-4881

visit your County Elections Office

This registration will be in effect for the next election if postmarked or delivered no later than the Monday four weeks before Election Day.

If you miss this deadline, please contact your County Elections Office.

You will receive your ballot by mail. Contact your County Elections Office for in-person voting options.

If you knowingly provide false information on this voter registration form or knowingly make a false declaration about your qualifications for voter registration you will have committed a class C felony that is punishable by imprisonment for up to 5 years, a fine of up to $10,000, or both.

Your name, address, gender and date of birth are public information.

*optional information

sign here

date here

fold

here

if you do not have a Washington driver’s license or state ID card, provide the last four digits of your Social Security number

x x x - x x -

register online at www.vote.wa.gov

09/2009

first person to engage registrants

Voter registration form redesignMINI CASE STUDY:

5 sections of similar types of information

Chelan County ballot packetMINI CASE STUDY:

Reasons for redesign > improve usability for voter> major administrative shift: no “flap” covering signature

Process> started with clean slate> multiple design variations up front> informal prototyping

Constraints> complicated language & statute requirements

Secrecy EnvelopeSeal your completed ballot in this envelope.

Place this envelope in the Return Envelope and follow the numbered steps.

SKIP MOORECHELAN COUNTY AUDITORP.O. BOX 4760WENATCHEE, WA 98807-4760

Address Service Requested

Your Official Ballot

Return Envelope

POSTAGE REQUIRED

1 Read the oathI do solemnly swear or affirm under penalty of perjury that I am:

A citizen of the United States; A legal resident of the state of Washington; At least 18 years old on election day; Voting only once in this election; Not ineligible to vote due to a felony conviction; and Not disqualified from voting due to a court order.

It is illegal to forge a signature or cast another person’s ballot. Attempting to vote when not qualified, attempting to vote more than once, or falsely signing this oath is a felony punishable by a maximum imprisonment of five years, a maximum fine of $10,000, or both.

Try to sign or mark in the “signature of voter” area in the presence of two witnesses. The two witnesses should then sign below.

If you cannot sign

2 Sign & date

3 Postmark or deposit your ballot by 8pm on election day.

date above

signature of voter above

phone number above (optional, in case there is an issue with your signature)

witness 1 signature above witness 2 signature above

visually linked by color, layout, typography

plain language, simple instructions

1, 2, 3 & you’re done!

Chelan County ballot packetMINI CASE STUDY:

Session takeaway review

Yes, design matters in elections!

A design professional working with local elections officials allows each to do their best work and do right by the voter

A partnership can assist us in achieving civic engagement, trust in the system & accurate, efficient elections

Hart ballot design project

Jenny Greeve Washington State Election Design Fellow, 2009-2011

Why ballot design?

What’s it like for local elections officials, design professionals & vendor to partner?

What was achieved?

Session takeaways

Why ballot design?

It’s at the heart of elections!

General Election 2009: undervote in King County blamed on ballot design

Jenny’s self-proclaimed“Year of the Ballot”

Establish consistency based on best practices

Empower local elections officials

Pre-project Hart ballots

Project logistics

+

Instructions

How to vote

Completely fill in the box to the left of your choice.Vote for one in each race. If you vote for more than one, no votes will be counted for that race.

If you make a mistake

Candidate 1

Candidate 3

Candidate 2

Draw a line through the entire measure response or candidate’s name.Then you may make another choice.

Optional write-inor write-in

To vote for a candidate not listed for that race, fill in the box to the left of “or write-in” and print the name on the dashed line.

READ: Each candidate for partisan office may state a political party that he or she prefers. A candidate’s preference does not imply that the candidate is nominated or endorsed by the party, or that the party approves of or associates with that candidate.

Precinct Committee Officer is a position in each major political party. For this office only: If you consider yourself a Democrat or Republican, you may vote for a candidate of that party.

Continue voting next side

Statewide

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Yes

No

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Yes

No

Mickey Mouse

Donald Duck

Minnie Mouse

Goofy

Harrison Ford

Guy Ritchie

Madonna

Linda Ronstadt

Julie Andrews

Van Halen

Liz Lemon

Jack Donaghy

Frank the Tank

Ben Harper

Dave Matthews

Elliott Nolan

Jack Nicholson

Jimmy Buffett

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Yes

No

Tiatenimus sum ipit eos militat usaest, sum aditemo luptustia que volorep editati umendem volorror molore do-luptate labo. Ut inveruptatur, consequid ut es vollor volorror molore.Tiatenimus sum ipit eos militat usaest, sum aditemo luptustia que volorep editati umendem volorror molore doluptate labo.

Yes

No

Mickey Mouse

Donald Duck

Minnie Mouse

Goofy

Harrison Ford

Guy Ritchie

Madonna

Linda Ronstadt

Julie Andrews

Van Halen

Liz Lemon

Jack Donaghy

Frank the Tank

Ben Harper

Dave Matthews

Elliott Nolan

Jack Nicholson

Jimmy Buffett

Instructions

How to vote



Candidate 1

Candidate 3

Candidate 2





New templates by Hart

New images by SOS / D4D

Better ballots, increased options

39 Washington State counties

21 Hart counties

13 Post-project: Hart counties with templates + images

21 Post-project: counties with images only

Partnering with Hart

Features of new Hart templates

large page identifier

shading for race information

throughout: > different type weights> different type sizes > fewer lines & boxes

dashed line for write-ins

Template specifics

18 total templates

10 English templates, 8 bilingual templates

8.5 x 11, 8.5 x 14, 8.5 x 17, 11 x 17

2, 3, 4 column

Regular: Arial 12 & 10

Condensed: Arial 10 & 8

SOS / D4D image collection

READ: Each candidate for partisan office may state a political party that he or she prefers. A candidate’s preference does not imply that the candidate is nominated or endorsed by the party, or that the party approves of or associates with that candidate.

Precinct Committee Officer is a position in each major political party. For this office only: If you consider yourself a Democrat or Republican, you may vote for a candidate of that party.


StatewideInstructions

How to vote



Option 1

Option 3

Option 2


Optional write-in

or write-in


Instructions

How to vote



Option 1

Option 3

Option 2


Optional write-in

write-in

To vote for a candidate not listed for that race, fill in the box to the left of “write-in” and print the name on the dashed line.

Start voting here

throughout: > shading, type sizes

match templates> plain language > just the basics> county collaboration

Image specifics

38 different instruction images

2, 3, 4 column

different treatments for “write-in”

specific layout for when races appear below instructions

ballot section dividers, miscellaneous images, election-specific images

Ballot design guide

Hart Ballot Design GuideSummer 2010 1.31.2 Hart templates

Regular v. condensed templates

Regular v. condensed templates

The difference between regular & condensed templates is the type size of Arial used throughout the ballot.

Regular templates feature type sizes recommended by existing research for maximum legibility.

Condensed templates, which feature smaller type sizes, are provided as a “last resort” when you are in a long ballot situation.

Regular or condensed?

While not always possible, attempt to use a regular template before using a condensed template.

Because condensed templates use 8 point Arial, your voters with low vision may have problems reading their ballot.

Regular template

10 point

• Proposition text• Specific race information

(excluding race title)• Specific race instructions• Party preference

12 point

• Everything else

Condensed template

8 point

• Proposition text• Specific race information

(excluding race title) • Specific race instructions• Party preference

10 point

• Everything else

Visit section 5 to see King County’s decision-making matrix. A visual guide used by their ballot designers for each election to manage difficult questions such as what size ballot to select, whether to place races below the instructions & when to compromise on type size.

? These ballots look funny. Yes, they do. They are missing party preferences, “write-ins” & races are completely in the wrong order & sometimes repeated. These were delivered from Hart as samples, meant to give you a general feeling of the formatting.

Hart Ballot Design GuideSummer 2010

Instructions

How to vote

Use a dark blue or black ink pen to completely fill in the box to the left of your choice.Vote for one in each race. If you vote for more than one, no votes will be counted for that race.


Option 1

Option 3

Option 2


Optional write-in

To vote for a candidate not listed for that race, fill in the box to the left of the dashed line and print the name of the candidate.

Instructions

How to vote



Option 1

Option 3

Option 2




Instructions

How to vote



Option 1

Option 3

Option 2


Optional write-inwrite-in


3 & 4 columnregular

“or write-in”

3col_1.bmp

3 & 4 columnregular

“write-in”

3col_2.bmp

3 & 4 columnregularblank “write-in”

3col_3.bmp

Instruction images3 & 4 column | regular | no race below & race below

Instructions

How to vote



Option 1

Option 3

Option 2




Start voting here

Instructions

How to vote



Option 1

Option 3

Option 2


Optional write-inwrite-in


Start voting here

Instructions

How to vote



Option 1

Option 3

Option 2


Optional write-in

To vote for a candidate not listed for that race, fill in the box to the left of the dashed line and print the name of the candidate.

Start voting here

3 & 4 columnregular

“or write-in”

3col_4.bmp

3 & 4 columnregular

“write-in”

3col_5.bmp

3 & 4 columnregularblank “write-in”

3col_6.bmp

2.232.22

Summer 2010, V.1

Jenny Greeve AIGA / D4D Washington State Design Fellow

Hart InterCivic

Washington State Hart Counties

Washington Secretary of State Elections Division

HAVA

Hart Ballot Design Guide

New template + images

Only 4 counties could use new templates for 2010 General

Ballot templates produced enormous files, took 5x as long to produce

Ballot templates required larger paper sizes

Vendor not responsive during ballot production time

Not all counties used SOS / D4D images as intended

Project kinks

“The most important things for us: is the voter less confused? Are they getting it? If only 10 voters have a better experience, it is definitely worth it for us.”

Nissa Burger, Chelan County

“Despite the kinks, we love the look and will continue using the new templates. We have had positive feedback from our local candidates and party members.”

Carolyn Myers, Cowlitz County

Project praise

Washington was primed to make ballot design improvements

Unprecedented collaboration among LEOs, design professionals & vendor

While there were kinks, project was a huge step forward & the work will continue

Session takeaway review

Jenny Greeve - AIGA Design for Democracy in Washington State

Design

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