Election design gallery
.png "Optical scan NE 148")
Before: Cedar County, Nebraska ballot | May 2006
Primary election ballot for ES&S optical-scan equipment
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After: Cedar County, Nebraska ballot | November 2006
General election ballot for ES&S optical-scan equipment, heavily
informed by Design for Democracy and EAC recommendations during pilot
study
Improvements: clearer instructional language and
illustrations; more legible text; better differentiation between
contests and between contests and instructions; clearer page navigation;
removal of contest categories
.png "Optical scan WA 148")
Before: King County (Seattle), Washington ballot | November 2004
General election ballot for Premier optical-scan equipment
.png "Optical scan WA after 148")
After: King County (Seattle), Washington ballot | November 2008. General election ballot for Premier optical-scan equipment, by King
County election officials utilizing Design for Democracy/EAC guidelines
and Design for Democracy custom instructional illustration.
“Design for Democracy shed light on simple practices any election
official can adopt to significantly improve ballot design. Our ballots
underwent a significant transformation by just removing capitalization,
left justifying the text, and using pictures instead of words and the
results is a more informed electorate.”
— Sherril Huff, elections director for King County Elections
.png "Optical scan KS 148")
Before: Shawnee County (Topeka), Kansas ballot | November 2004
General election ballot for Premier optical-scan equipment
.png "Optical scan KS after 148")
After: Shawnee County (Topeka), Kansas ballot | November 2008
General election ballot for Premier optical-scan equipment, by
Shawnee County election officials in consultation with Design for
Democracy
Improvements: more legible text, better differentiation between contests, clearer page navigation
Before: Washington statewide voter registration form | 2008
After: Washington statewide voter registration form | 2009
An AIGA Election Design Fellow used Usability Professional
Association (UPA) guidelines to test early iterations of this form with
Washington voters. The new form shows improvements in the areas of
legibility, clarity and ease of use.
“The new form is much easier to read and follow, and the form’s flow
is much clearer.” —David Cunningham, Elections Supervisor, Skagit
County, Washington
Before: Oregon statewide voter registration form | 1999
After: Oregon statewide voter registration form | 2009
AIGA Election Design Fellows made incremental improvements to the form over a several year period.
Before: Washington dual-registration cancellation letter-form | 2008
A significant number of Washington and Oregon residents
cross-relocate. To help keep voter registration records up-to-date, both
states check databases for dual registration and request that voters
cancel registration in their former residence.
After: Washington dual-registration cancellation card | 2009
AIGA Election Design Fellows working simultaneously in Washington and
Oregon collaborated to improve the design of the dual-registration
request. It is now a postcard instead of a letter, inviting a higher
completion rate while reducing costs.
Oregon dual-registration cancellation card | 2009
AIGA Election Design Fellows working simultaneously in Washington and
Oregon collaborated to improve the design of the dual-registration
cancellation request.
Before: Washington statewide voter information pamphlet cover | August 2008
Before being redesigned, the look of Washington’s pamphlet covers
would change from election to election, hindering recognizability.
After: Washington statewide voter information pamphlet cover | November 2009
The new cover design, created by an AIGA Election Design Fellow in
cooperation with Washington election office staff, allows for the use of
new thematic imagery for each election, but with a consistent format
that will be recognizable to voters in years to come.
Before: Washington statewide voter information pamphlet sample page | August 2008
After: Washington statewide voter information pamphlet sample page | November 2009
The revised format reduces visual clutter for voters and increases layout efficiency for the election office.
Oregon statewide voting guide, sample page | 2006
Most Oregon voters vote by mail. These step-by-step visual
instructions help ensure that voters’ ballots are returned properly and
will be legal for counting.
Oregon counties’ ballot instructions insert | 2006
Oregon counties customize these accessible voting instructions that accompany ballots with local information.
Oregon statewide postage increase ballot insert | 2009
To announce a postage increase impacting ballot mailing, Oregon used the same insert format already familiar to voters.
Oregon statewide inmate voter information card | 2006
Oregon Get Out the Vote poster | 2004
Oregon official ballot dropsite sign | 2004
Oregon Voters Bill of Rights poster | 2007
This poster complies with the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002, and empowers voters to know their rights. The full set of polling place posters created by AIGA Design for Democracy for the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) is available for download.
Oregon statewide election results presentation, sample page 1 of 3 | 2007
This presentation, designed by an AIGA Election Design Fellow, allows
Oregon’s election office to clearly and effectively communicate
election results to stakeholders.
Oregon statewide election results presentation, sample page 2 of 3 | 2007
Oregon statewide election results presentation, sample page 3 of 3 | 2007
Oregon statewide booklet explaining the
statistical sampling process used to qualify election referenda
petitions, sample page 1 of 3 | 2008
This booklet, designed by an AIGA Election Design Fellow, helps make
the complex process of referenda petition approval transparent to Oregon
citizens.
Oregon statewide booklet explaining the statistical sampling process
used to qualify election referenda petitions, sample page 2 of 3 | 2008
Oregon statewide booklet explaining the statistical sampling process
used to qualify election referenda petitions, sample page 3 of 3 | 2008
Oregon election office calendar | 2006
This visual tool helps election officials keep the many tasks of
election production on track. It is one example of the many guides and
flowcharts that help officials manage the complexities of voter
registration and verification, poll worker recruitment and training,
pollsite management, ballot production and much more.
This gallery contains examples of ballots and other election
materials that have evolved through the benefit of professional
design guidance or guidelines while remaining grounded in relevant
local legislative, budgetary and equipment-based constraints. Most
materials are voter facing, but some support the internal efforts
of election offices. “Before” and “after” images are provided for
comparison when available.
See also: Design for Democracy's top 10 election design
guidelines for the types of improvements these examples
demonstrate, as well as ballot design
samples for historical and “ideal” ballots. If you have
examples that belong in this gallery or you would like help with
your election materials, please contact Design For Democracy.