Design for Democracy ─ Ballot and Election Design

Remember dimpled chads? Following the 2000 general election, when the controversy surrounding a confusing ballot layout brought the process of election design to the forefront of national attention, a non-profit organization called "Design for Democracy" launched an extraordinary partnership between election officials and design professionals to improve the election experience. In the first book to address the principles of good election design, awarding-winning design educator and expert Marcia Lausen shares and compiles the results of this "Design for Democracy" initiative in one easy-to-read guide. This practical-yet-detailed guide provides a set of tools that election officials and designers can use to easily improve the quality, legibility, and effectiveness of U.S. election materials. Filled with examples and prototypes for improved ballot design, election administration materials, polling place signage, absentee and provisional voting, and voter education and outreach, this book breaks down design basics and explains not just what looks best, but why. You’ ll learn how to implement simple and intuitive designs, and how to make good design choices. Detailed topics include: the election design system (logos, symbols, typography, illustration, and photography); ballot design basics (information design vs. creative design, types of ballot, and electronic voting); the voting experience (registration, voter information and literature, the polls, poll workers, voter outreach); and more