The document discusses vote-by-mail envelope designs aimed at improving recognition and usability for voters, with elements such as a national brand, accessibility colors, and bilingual layouts. It emphasizes the need for envelopes that facilitate USPS automation and tracking, while offering flexibility for different systems and information inclusion. The document also outlines principles for ensuring accessibility and security in remote ballot marking systems, aiming for a better voter experience overall.

1. Vote-by-mail envelope designs
for voters, elections, and the USPS
Whitney Quesenbery
Maggie Ollove
Center for Civic Design
@civicdesign
civicdesign.org/projects/vote-by-mail/

2. What if ballot envelopes had a national brand?
Instantly recognizable
Easy to return accurately
Designed for USPS
automation and tracking
Flexible for envelope systems
Bilingual layouts
Option for hidden or exposed
signatures

3. 3 | Center for Civic Design
Outgoing envelopes
Votar por correo
Boleta oficial

4. 4 | Center for Civic Design
A coherent design system
El Dorado County

5. 5 | Center for Civic Design
Every envelope that holds a ballot has a color
Colors meet
accessibility
requirements
with white text.
Ballots going
to voters
are blue
Every other color
goes to the election
office.
Return ballot
envelopes are green
(+ alternates)
Provisional or
Election Day
Registration
UOCAVA
envelopes

6. 6 | Center for Civic Design
Outgoing envelopes
Votar por correo
Boleta oficial

7. 7 | Center for Civic Design
Room for information right on the envelope

8. 8 | Center for Civic Design
Room for translations…
Placer County and Glenn County, CA
2018 Primary

9. 9 | Center for Civic Design
Works for overseas voters
Placer County 2018 Primary

10. 10 | Center for Civic Design
… even if you have a long voter’s declaration

11. 11 | Center for Civic Design
Easy signature form- blank or pre-printed

12. 12 | Center for Civic Design
Flexible for envelope shape

13. 13 | Center for Civic Design
Flexible layout for flaps, windows, cutting systems

14. Designed for IMb tracking
Choose one-way tracking to the voter
Adjust the layout for two-way tracking back to the office.

15. 15 | Center for Civic Design
Outgoing envelope – address showing from inner envelope

16. 16 | Center for Civic Design
Layout with voter signature hidden – return envelope

17. 17 | Center for Civic Design
Round trip tracking of vote-by-mail ballots

18. Designed for voter information
Space on the back of the outgoing envelope for return options and
elections office contact.
Sample information for an instructional insert

19. 19 | Center for Civic Design
A hidden advantage: the whole back for information

20. 20 | Center for Civic Design
Model inserts

21. 21 | Center for Civic Design
On the wish list: simpler, voter-centered language
I assert that
• I am a United States citizen and a qualified and
registered elector of the city, township or village
named below.
• I am voting as an absent voter in conformity with
state election law. Unless otherwise indicated
below, I personally marked the ballot enclosed in
this envelope without exhibiting it to any other
person.
• I further assert that this absent voter ballot is being
returned to the clerk or an assistant of the clerk by
me personally; by public postal service, express
mail service, parcel post service, or other common
carrier; by a member of my immediate family; or by
a person residing in my household.
An absent voter who knowingly makes a false
statement is guilty of a misdemeanor.
I assert that I am a United States citizen and a
qualified and registered elector of the city,
township or village named below. I am voting as
an absent voter in conformity with state election
law. Unless otherwise indicated below, I
personally marked the ballot enclosed in this
envelope without exhibiting it to any other
person. I further assert that this absent voter
ballot is being returned to the clerk or an
assistant of the clerk by me personally; by public
postal service, express mail service, parcel post
service, or other common carrier; by a member
of my immediate family; or by a person residing
in my household.
An absent voter who knowingly makes a false
statement is guilty of a misdemeanor.
I assert that
• I am a United States citizen
• I meet all of the requirements to vote
• I am registered to vote at the address listed below
• I marked my ballot and placed it in this envelope
without showing it to anyone.
• I am returning my ballot to the clerk’s office by
delivering it myself or a member of my immediate
family or household, or sending it by public postal,
express mail, or parcel post service, or other
common carrier
I understand that knowingly making a false statement
is a misdemeanor.
An example of simplification that maintains
the meaning of a voter declaration.

22. What if everyone could vote at home?
Secure – not ‘internet voting’
Works with assistive technology
Gives voters with disabilities privacy

23. 23 | Center for Civic Design
Remote accessible vote-by-mail
disabilityrightsca.org vsap.lavote.net/ fivecedarsgroup.com/

24. 24 | Center for Civic Design
It can be accessible and secure
Principles for remote ballot marking systems
1: Trusted and transparent
2: Consistent with other voting options
3: Access for all voters
4: Minimizes privacy and security risks
5: Supports accurate and secret ballot marking
6: Enables easy review, printing, and packing of the ballot
7: Supports election administration procedures
Principle 8: Tested for usability for all voters
Principle 9: Robust and reliable
civicdesign.org/projects/
remote-ballot-marking/

25. Make it easer to be a voter
A good voting experience for everyone
Elections designed and tested with the people who will use it.
Accessibility designed into our election models

26. Field Guides to Ensuring Voter Intent
Design guidelines based on solid research
and best practices
civicdesign.org/fieldguides/
Vote-by-mail envelopes for California
Layouts and design guidelines
civicdesign.org/projects/vote-by-mail/
Civic icons and images
Visual resources for election materials
electiontools.org/tool/civic-icons-and-images/

27. Thank you
Whitney Quesenbery
whitneyq@civicdesign.org
Maggie Ollove
maggie@civicdesign.org
@name
civicdesign.org
@civicdesign