The document discusses research into how voters find information about elections and voting. It analyzed 147 election websites and conducted usability tests. The research found that county websites were the most common place voters looked for information. However, the websites often used jargon and lacked clear explanations of the voting process. To improve access, the document recommends writing content in plain language, organizing information logically based on voters' goals and questions, and designing pages for easy reading and scanning. The goal is to clearly answer voters' questions so they can easily take the necessary steps to participate in elections.

1. Communicating with voters
Dana Chisnell
@danachis
@ChadButterfly

2. Meet Frank

5. What questions do voters
have about elections?

6. How do they find answers?

7. American elections
are all local

8. The research

9. The research
Cataloged 147 election websites

10. The research
Cataloged 147 election websites
Conducted 41 remote moderated
usability tests

11. Cataloging

15. 94% of the population lives in a county that has an
elections website
Of 3,057 counties or equivalent, 966 didn’t have
websites (31.5%)
“election department” varied by region
Factoids

16. Remote moderated
usability testing

17. What questions do you have
about the election?

18. What questions did you have
about the election?

21. What happened?

24. What happened?

25. Where did people look for
answers?
33 of 41 participants looked online for
answers
23 went to county websites

27. Voting is personal
They’re focused on why.

29. What’s on the ballot?

31. ?

32. ?
?

33. ?
?
?

35. ?

36. ?
?

37. ?
?
?

39. ?

40. !
?

41. Each step is an opportunity
for dropping out

42. Jargon
Each step is an opportunity
for dropping out

43. Jargon
Lack of specificity
Each step is an opportunity
for dropping out

44. Jargon
Lack of specificity
Voter ID
Each step is an opportunity
for dropping out

45. Jargon
Lack of specificity
Voter ID
Finding the polling place
Each step is an opportunity
for dropping out

46. People make rational
decisions about
whether to vote

47. What’s on the ballot?
What are my options for voting?
absentee early voting Election Day
what’s the
deadline to apply?
what do I have to
do to get one?
when is it due?
where do I vote? where do I vote?

48. What’s on the ballot?
What are my options for voting?
absentee early voting Election Day
what’s the
deadline to apply?
what do I have to
do to get one?
when is it due?
where do I vote? where do I vote?

49. What’s on the ballot?
What are my options for voting?
absentee early voting Election Day
what’s the
deadline to apply?
what do I have to
do to get one?
when is it due?
where do I vote? where do I vote?

50. What’s on the ballot?
What are my options for voting?
absentee early voting Election Day
what’s the
deadline to apply?
what do I have to
do to get one?
when is it due?
where do I vote? where do I vote?

51. what’s the
deadline to apply?
what do I have to
do to get one?
when is it due?
where do I vote? where do I vote?
who is in office now?
do I need ID to vote?
what’s the deadline for registering?

52. what’s the
deadline to apply?
what do I have to
do to get one?
when is it due?
where do I vote? where do I vote?
who is in office now?
do I need ID to vote?
what’s the deadline for registering?

53. what’s the
deadline to apply?
what do I have to
do to get one?
when is it due?
where do I vote? where do I vote?
who is in office now?
do I need ID to vote?
what’s the deadline for registering?

54. what’s the
deadline to apply?
what do I have to
do to get one?
when is it due?
where do I vote? where do I vote?
who is in office now?
do I need ID to vote?
what’s the deadline for registering?

55. what’s the
deadline to apply?
what do I have to
do to get one?
when is it due?
where do I vote? where do I vote?
who is in office now?
do I need ID to vote?
what’s the deadline for registering?

57. But sites showed
nearly the opposite
process.

58. Elections = process

59. Elections = process
1.register

60. Elections = process
1.register
2.voting options

61. Elections = process
1.register
2.voting options
3.polling place location

62. Elections = process
1.register
2.voting options
3.polling place location
4.voter ID

63. Elections = process
1.register
2.voting options
3.polling place location
4.voter ID
5.current office holders

64. Elections = process
1.register
2.voting options
3.polling place location
4.voter ID
5.current office holders
6.military and overseas voters

65. Elections = process
1.register
2.voting options
3.polling place location
4.voter ID
5.current office holders
6.military and overseas voters
7.sample ballot

66. What to do

67. 1. Write for your
audience
2. Organize information
logically for voters’
goals
3. Design for reading
4. Provide alternatives
5. Write for action

68. • Answer voters’ questions
• Treat communication as a conversation
• Write in active voice, speaking directly to the reader
• Write in plain language, using short, simple, everyday word
1. Write for your audience

69. • Organize information by activity or task
• Put steps in the order in which they must be completed
2. Organize information logically, to
meet voters’ goals

70. • Short sentences
• Short paragraphs (so each step or piece of information is clear)
• Separate paragraphs by a space so each paragraph stands out
on the page or screen
3. Design for scanning and
skimming

71. • Include simple summaries of complex content (bite, snack,
meal)
• Use all the channels
• Make sure alternate languages are accessible
4. Provide alternatives

72. • Write in the active voice, where the person doing the action
comes before the verb.
• Write in the positive
5. Write for action

73. What’s on the ballot?
How do I vote if I can’t
get to the polling place?
Who are my reps now,
and what districts am I
in?
Where do I vote?
Do I have to show ID?
Priority content

75. Voting is personal
Voters are focused on why.

76. Plain language helps
voters take action

77. Meet Bill

79. Every word choice and design
decision makes a difference.

80. Communicating with voters

81. Communicating with voters
Answer voters’
questions

82. Communicating with voters
Answer voters’
questions
In plain language

83. Communicating with voters
Answer voters’
questions
In plain language
So they can take
appropriate action

84. Thank you.

85. Dana Chisnell
dana@civicdesign.org
civicdesign.org
@danachis
@ChadButterfly