Top 10 election design guidelines
AIGA Design for
Democracy's top 10 election design guidelines are derived from
the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) report on
ballot and polling place design guidelines (a thorough
documentation of best practices by voting machine type, with
samples of guidelines as applied to ballots for both optical-scan
and touchscreen voting equipment, as well as voter information
materials found in polling places). For assistance implementing
these guidelines, visit Government officials:
Get Help. Designers may also reference our top 10 ballot design tips (for
designers).
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
Use color and shading consistently: 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.
Note: Design for Democracy does not recommend adhering to
these principles in cases where they contradict local regulations.
Design for Democracy is available to consult on updating local
regulations to enable better communication design for voter
materials.