Why the article is helpful

• Discussed issues with current ballot designs
• A few simple principles for a well designed ballot along with some examples

This article discussed issues with current ballot designs and offered suggestions for future designs to help voters at the voting booth. A few simple principles for a well designed ballot were included, along with some examples of where these rules of thumb have been ignored or violated. It was found that any flaws in a ballot design will cause problems for new and nonhabitual voters because some might vote for wrong candidates, while others might not vote for races they intended to solely. More knowledgeable voters were found to not be as affected by bad design.

Additional details

Principles for a well designed ballot:

• Simplicity
• Instructional clarity
• Consistency
• Equity

Links to article

• EBSCO Host