Information design
Communications is about educating voters and building public trust in elections. While the ways to reach voters have grown, communication remains central to helping voters navigate the election process. From special media requests to everyday interactions that answer voters’ questions, all election offices play an important role in this work. This is one of six standards that define excellence in communications. This draft standard will be updated based on feedback from the election community.
Standard
Your election office uses design and accessibility best practices to format information so it is easy to find, understand, and use. To achieve this standard:
- You consider the voter journey as voters interact with the information you share, publish, and create.
- You follow accessibility standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) that are relevant to each publication format.
- You use design elements like structure, hierarchy, typography, visuals, and color to communicate meaning and help voters navigate materials.
- You produce materials that have a consistent look and include key contact information for your office.
Why this standard matters
It is important that we are explicit about the underlying why for each standard. While not attached to measurements, the intended impact of an election department achieving this standard is that:
- Voters will be able to understand and navigate election information.
- The public will easily identify trusted materials from your local election office.
- Your election office will save staff time by reducing confusion and questions.
