The Unconsidered Ballot: How Design Effects Voting Behavior

Abstract

The voting ballot forms the visual interface between the voter and the political system. It must quickly and clearly communicate information to a diverse public engaged in decision-making activities. Given the importance of voting to a democratic system of government and the need for equal access to information displayed on the ballot, it is interesting that more research in this area has not been conducted. While a search of the literature and government documents reveals some studies on voting system standards related to performance and security, very little is available on ballot design or the interaction between the voter and various systems. A preliminary study on the effect of ballot interface design on voting behavior, supported by a grant from The Ohio State University, was conducted in February of 1993 in cooperation with appropriate election officials. Subjects were videotaped while voting on either a mechanical lever or electronic voting machine displaying a ballot from the 1992 presidential election in an experimental situation approximating that found in the polling place. Significant problems related to human factors and the organization of information on the ballot have been identified that merit further examination.