Introducing the Field Guides To Ensuring Voter Intent through an analysis of classic ballot design issues and the California top 2 primary ballot in particular.

1. Top 2:
lessons learned,
looking forward
Dana Chisnell
@danachis
@ChadButterfly

3. page 27

4. King
County
2004
read easily? Not so easy to read,
navigate? find sections, or
identify complete without
sections? making mistakes
find
instructions?
understand
instructions?
follow
instructions
Wait. Wha...?
easily?
complete
without
mistakes?

5. Portland
Maine
2011
read easily?
navigate?
identify
sections?
find
instructions?
understand
instructions?
follow
instructions
easily?
complete People missed
without these instructions
mistakes?
Why do the top
instructions have
letters?

6. Not ideal line length
and justification.
Shawnee
County
2004
read easily?
navigate?
identify
sections?
find
instructions?
understand
instructions?
follow
instructions Sections aren’t that
easily? easy to pick out
complete
without
mistakes?

7. DEMONSTRATION BALLOT [Insert Chinese Translation]
SAMPLE BALLOT FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION - City of New York - County of Kings - November 2, 2010 [Insert Korean Translation]
A B C D E F G RDH H WRITE-IN
CANDIDATO POR
1. BEFORE VOTING
THIS BALLOT,
Democratic Republican Independence Conservative Working Families Green Rent is 2 Damn Libertarian ESCRITO
High PLEASE READ THE
New York City
[Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese]
[Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Chinese] [Korean] INSTRUCTIONS ON
[Korean]
THE OTHER SIDE OF
1A 1B 1C 1D 1E 1F 1G 1H WRITE-IN THIS BALLOT.
Andrew M. Carl P. Andrew M. Carl P. Andrew M. Howie Jimmy Warren
1. ANTES DE EMITIR
Cuomo Paladino Cuomo Paladino Cuomo Hawkins McMillan Redlich
[Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] SU VOTO CON
2010
[Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] ESTA PAPELETA,
[Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] SÍRVASE LEER LAS
[Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] INSTRUCCIONES EN
EL DORSO DE ESTA
PAPELETA.
Electors for Robert J. Gregory J. Robert J. Gregory J. Robert J. Gloria Alden
Governor and Duffy Edwards Duffy Edwards Duffy Mattera Link
[Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese]
Lieutenant [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese]
Governor [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean]
[Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean]
2. BALLOT PROPOSALS
[Spanish]
read easily? 1
[Chinese]
ARE LOCATED ON THE
OTHE SIDE OF THIS
K J ✺ I BALLOT.
navigate? [Korean] Taxpayers
[Chinese]
[Korean]
Freedom
[Chinese]
[Korean]
Anti-Prohibition
[Chinese]
[Korean]
2. LAS PROPUESTAS DE
PAPELETA APARECEN
EN EL DORO DE ESTA
Vote Once
identify Vote una vez
[Chinese]
[Korean]
1K
Carl P.
1J
Charles
1I
Kristin M.
PAPELETA.
Paladino Barron Davis
sections? [Chinese]
[Chinese]
[Korean]
[Chinese]
[Chinese]
[Korean]
[Chinese]
[Chinese]
[Korean]
[Korean] [Korean] [Korean]
find MARKING
INSTRUCTIONS:
Gregory J. Eva M. Tanya INSTRUCCIONES
instructions? Edwards
[Chinese]
[Chinese]
Doyle
[Chinese]
[Chinese]
Gendelman
[Chinese]
[Chinese]
DE MARCADO:
[Korean] [Korean] [Korean]
Correct Mark:
[Korean] [Korean] [Korean]
Marca Correcta:
understand How many votes do I
A B C D E F G
Comptroller Democratic Republican Independence Conservative Working Families Green Libertarian
instructions? [Spanish]
get for governor?
[Chinese]
[Chinese]
[Korean]
[Chinese]
[Korean]
[Chinese]
[Korean]
[Chinese]
[Korean]
[Chinese]
[Korean]
[Chinese]
[Korean]
[Chinese]
[Korean]
2 [Korean] 2A 2B 2C 2D 2E 2F 2G WRITE-IN
follow Vote Once
Vote una vez
[Chinese]
Thomas P.
DiNapoli
[Chinese]
Harry
Wilson
[Chinese]
Harry
Wilson
[Chinese]
Harry
Wilson
[Chinese]
Thomas P.
DiNapoli
[Chinese]
Julia A.
Willebrand
[Chinese]
John
Gaetani
[Chinese]
Worst. Instructions.
[Korean] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese]
instructions [Korean]
[Korean]
[Korean]
[Korean]
[Korean]
[Korean]
[Korean]
[Korean]
[Korean]
[Korean]
[Korean]
[Korean]
[Korean]
[Korean] Ever.
A B C D E F G ✺
easily? Attorney General
[Spanish]
Democratic
[Chinese]
Republican
[Chinese]
Independence
[Chinese]
Conservative
[Chinese]
Working Families
[Chinese]
Libertarian
[Chinese]
Freedom
[Chinese]
[Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean]
complete 3
[Chinese]
[Korean]
Vote Once
3A
Eric T.
3B
Dan
3C
Eric T.
3D
Dan
3E
Eric T.
3F
Carl E.
3G
Ramon J.
WRITE-IN
Vote una vez
Schneiderman Donovan Schneiderman Donovan Schneiderman Person Jimenez
without [Chinese]
[Korean]
[Chinese]
[Chinese]
[Korean]
[Chinese]
[Chinese]
[Korean]
[Chinese]
[Chinese]
[Korean]
[Chinese]
[Chinese]
[Korean]
[Chinese]
[Chinese]
[Korean]
[Chinese]
[Chinese]
[Korean]
[Chinese]
[Chinese]
[Korean]
mistakes?
[Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean]
A B C D E F G RDH H
Democratic Republican Independence Conservative Working Families Green Rent is 2 Damn Libertarian
[Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] High [Chinese]
[Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Chinese] [Korean]
[Korean]
4A 4B 4C 4D 4E 4F 4G 4H WRITE-IN
United States Kristen E. Joseph J. Kristen E. Joseph J. Kristen E. Cecile A. Joseph John
Gillibrand DioGuardi Gillibrand DioGuardi Gillibrand Lawrence Huff Clifton
Senator [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese]
[Spanish] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese]
[Chinese] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean]
[Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean] [Korean]
4 [Korean]
K J I
Vote Once
Vote una vez
[Chinese]
[Korean]
Tax Revolt Taxpayers Anti-Prohibition
[Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese]
[Korean] [Korean] [Korean]
4K 4J 4I
Bruce Joseph J. Viva
Blakeman DioGuardi Morgan
[Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese]
[Chinese] [Chinese] [Chinese]

8. California
Instructions that are
2012 not instructions...
read easily?
navigate?
identify
sections?
find
instructions?
understand
instructions?
follow
instructions
easily?
complete
without
mistakes?

9. Problems are
well understood
split contests across columns overvoting
there are responses on both
overvoting
sides of names
arrows rather than bubbles marking incorrectly
formatting is inconsistent or
undervoting
too consistent
instructions are complicated
all kinds of crazy things
or lacking
voters don’t know how to
lost votes
correct their ballots

10. Poor design and instructions
on ballots make
understanding, marking, and casting
difficult, time-consuming, and
complicated

11. Poor design and instructions
on ballots make
counting, canvassing, and audits
difficult, time-consuming, and
complicated

12. Deconstructing
California Top 2
primary ballots:
Lessons learned

13. California
2012
read easily?
navigate?
identify sections?
find instructions?
understand
instructions?
follow instructions
easily?
complete without
mistakes?

14. Yelling!
find instructions?
read easily?

15. find instructions?
read easily?

16. understand
instructions?
follow instructions
easily?
complete without
mistakes?

17. No. 05: Use simplenonpartisan offices
Voter-nominated and words.
101
wo
rds
No. 04:
All voters, regardless of the party preference they
disclosed upon registration, or refusal to disclose a
Write short sentences.
party preference, may vote for any candidate for a
voter-nominated or nonpartisan office.
No. 06:
The party preference, if any, designated by a
candidate for a voter-nominated office is selected by
Use active voice.
the candidate and is shown for the information of the
voters only.
It does not imply that the candidate is nominated or
No. 09:
endorsed by the party or that the party approves of
the candidate. The party preference, if any, of a
Short paragraphs.
candidate for a nonpartisan office does not appear on
the ballot.

18. No. 05: Use simplenonpartisan offices
Voter-nominated and words.
No. 04:
All voters, regardless of the party preference they
disclosed upon registration, or refusal to disclose a
Write short sentences.
party preference, may vote for any candidate for a
voter-nominated or nonpartisan office.
No. 06:
The party preference, if any, designated by a
candidate for a voter-nominated office is selected by
Use active voice.
the candidate and is shown for the information of the
voters only.
It does not imply that the candidate is nominated or
No. 09:
endorsed by the party or that the party approves of
the candidate. The party preference, if any, of a
Short paragraphs.
candidate for a nonpartisan office does not appear on
the ballot.

19. Voter-nominated and nonpartisan offices
All voters may vote for any candidate for a voter-
nominated or nonpartisan office.

20. Voter-nominated and nonpartisan offices
67 w
All voters may vote for any candidate for a voter- ords
nominated or nonpartisan office.
If the candidate has a preferred political party, the
party name appears on the ballot for information only.
It does not mean that the candidate is nominated or
endorsed by the party or that the party approves of
the candidate.
Candidates for nonpartisan offices do not show party
preferences.

21. California
2012
Contests split
across columns

22. California
2012
Responses on
both sides
of names

23. California
2012
Arrows rather
than bubbles
(and on the
wrong side of
the choices)

24. California
2012
Formatting
inconsistent or
too consistent:
no visual
hierarchy

25. California
2012
Instructions
instructions
instructions

26. What happened?
split contests across columns overvoting
response spaces on both
overvoting
sides of names
arrows rather than bubbles marking incorrectly
formatting is inconsistent or
undervoting
too consistent
instructions are complicated
all kinds of crazy things
or lacking
voters don’t know how to
lost votes
correct their ballots

27. Can voters...
read all of the
information on the ballot
easily?
navigate through the
ballot to find all the
contests and ballot
measures?
identify the different
sections of the ballot?
find, read, and follow
instructions accurately?

28. Designing
usable ballots
Use lowercase letters Use accurate instructional
illustrations
Avoid centered type
Use informational icons
Use big enough type (only)
Pick one sans serif font Use contrast and color to
support meaning
Support process and
navigation Show what’s most
important
Use clear, simple
language

29. Can voters...
understand what each
instruction means?
follow instructions
easily?
complete the ballot
without making
mistakes?
respond appropriately to
error messages?

30. Writing instructions
voters understand
At the beginning of the Write in active voice, with
ballot explain how to vote the person doing comes
before the verb
Put instructions where
voters need them Write in the positive
Include information that When giving instructions
will prevent voters from that are more than one
making errors step, use a numbered list
Write short sentences Keep paragraphs short
Use short, simple, everyday Separate paragraphs by a
words space

31. New tools.

32. Field Guides series
Research Research SOP and Usability Research
commissioned by commissioned by and Civic Life commissioned by
EAC NIST Project NIST

33. Written and
designed for you

34. Published by
300+ people
who say

35. thank you
for
being amazing

37. Coming soon
Effective election Delivering useful Effective design Designing multi-
department voter education for vote-by-mail language ballots
web sites
Research partially Research partially Funding yet to be Funding yet to be
funded by funded by secured secured
Kickstarter Kickstarter

38. Field Guides
To Ensuring
Voter Intent
civicdesigning.org
/fieldguides

39. Dana Chisnell
dana@usabilityworks.net
civicdesign@usabilityworks.net
civicdesign.org
@danachis
@ChadButterfly