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Communicating with voters
Dana Chisnell
@danachis @ChadButterfly
Meet Frank
What questions do voters have about elections?
How do they find answers?
American elections are all local
The research
The research
Cataloged 147 election websites
The research
Cataloged 147 election websites
Conducted 41 remote moderated usability tests
Cataloging
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
Remote moderated usability testing
What questions do you have about the election?
What questions did you have about the election?
What happened?
What happened?
Where did people look for answers?
33 of 41 participants looked online for answers
23 went to county websites
Voting is personalThey’re focused on why.
What’s on the ballot?
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?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
??
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!?
Each step is an opportunity for dropping out
Jargon
Each step is an opportunity for dropping out
Jargon
Lack of specificity
Each step is an opportunity for dropping out
Jargon
Lack of specificity
Voter ID
Each step is an opportunity for dropping out
Jargon
Lack of specificity
Voter ID
Finding the polling place
Each step is an opportunity for dropping out
People make rational decisions about whether to vote
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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
But sites showed nearly the opposite process.
Elections = process
Elections = process
1. register
Elections = process
1. register
2. voting options
Elections = process
1. register
2. voting options
3. polling place location
Elections = process
1. register
2. voting options
3. polling place location
4. voter ID
Elections = process
1. register
2. voting options
3. polling place location
4. voter ID
5. current office holders
Elections = process
1. register
2. voting options
3. polling place location
4. voter ID
5. current office holders
6. military and overseas voters
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
What to do
1. Write for your audience
2. Organize information logically for voters’ goals
3. Design for reading
4. Provide alternatives
5. Write for action
• 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
• 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
• 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
• Include simple summaries of complex content (bite, snack, meal)
• Use all the channels • Make sure alternate languages are accessible
4. Provide alternatives
• Write in the active voice, where the person doing the action comes before the verb.
• Write in the positive
5. Write for action
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
Voting is personalVoters are focused on why.
Plain language helps voters take action
Meet Bill
Every word choice and design decision makes a difference.
Communicating with voters
Communicating with voters
Answervoters’questions
Communicating with voters
Answervoters’questions Inplainlanguage
Communicating with voters
Answervoters’questions Inplainlanguage Sotheycantake
appropriateaction
Thank you.
Dana Chisnell
civicdesign.org
@danachis@ChadButterfly
