2.5 Simplicity and Accessibility
An accessible ballot design is one that uses a simple font with writing in sentence case and left-aligned text (MIT Election Data Science Lab, 2023, April 28). Additionally, intuitive text hierarchy makes the ballot easier to understand. Typically, the district name and contest labels will appear prominently, and candidate names will use bold text (MIT Election Data Science Lab, 2023, April 28).
Readable Ballot Text
| Feature | Left Aligned | Centre Aligned | Right Aligned |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Case | candidate name | candidate name | candidate name |
| All Caps | CANDIDATE NAME | CANDIDATE NAME | CANDIDATE NAME |
| Sentence Case | Candidate Name | Candidate Name | Candidate Name |
Sentence case text with left alignment is the most familiar to voters in English-speaking countries.
Ballot Best Practices
According to the American Center for Civic Design (2020), there are several design considerations that will ensure a simple, usable ballot:
Readability
The font should be readable and consistent. Formatting and shading should be used to highlight important information.
Consistency
The spacing should be uniform; marking spaces should be simple and consistent.
Organization
Contests should be clearly delineated. Candidates should, where possible, be written in a single column.
Navigation
Instructions should be placed at the beginning of the ballot; any page numbers or paging progression should be clearly indicated.
Clarity
Instructions should be complete with all relevant information written in simple language that voters can understand. Icons or images should enhance clarity.
Ballot Accessibility
Well-designed ballots can reduce confusion for most voters, but it may not be sufficient for voters with limited vision or physical impairments. For voters who require additional support, some jurisdictions offer ballots with enhanced features, including braille, large text, or other assistive technologies.
Voting Assistance in Canada
Elections Canada offers voters the following assistive features and technologies for voters:
Image Description
Informational poster from Elections Canada titled “Voting assistance tools and services on election day” with icons and brief descriptions of available accessibility tools and services for voters. These include:
- Ballot with candidate names in large print (icon of a ballot list).
- Language and sign language interpretation, and other assistance upon request in advance (icon of two hands signing).
- Large-print and braille lists of candidates (icon showing braille dots).
Assistance marking your ballot (icon of a person assisting another with voting). - Tactile and braille voting template (icon showing a tactile overlay with holes for ballot selections).
- Large-grip pencil or option to bring your own pen or pencil (icon of a thick pencil).
- Magnifiers (icon of a handheld magnifying glass).
- Signature guide (icon of a rectangular plastic guide for signing).
- A note clarifies that braille lists are only available on election day; large print is also available on advance polling days.
At the bottom, it mentions that almost all polling stations are accessible and advises visiting elections.ca to confirm accessibility needs.
- Ballot with candidate names in large print.
- Language and sign language interpretation, and other assistance upon request in advance.
- Large-print and braille lists of candidates (braille only available on election day).
- Assistance marking your ballot.
- Tactile and braille voting template.
- Large-grip pencil or option to bring your own pen or pencil.
- Magnifiers.
- Signature guide.
Simple and accessible ballots are essential for ensuring everyone has access to the political process, but the impact goes far beyond the user experience. By ignoring principles of simplicity and accessibility, the design of the ballot might inadvertently influence the election results (MIT Election Data Science Lab, 2023, April 28).
