Develop Your Tech Skills to Improve Elections in Your Jurisdiction
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This document summarizes a presentation given at the National Association of County Recorders, Election Officials, and Clerks annual conference about how to use technology and plain language to improve communication with voters. It discusses using mobile technologies like responsive websites and apps to share election information, prioritizing the most common voter questions online, and writing all information in plain language so it can be easily understood by all. Attendees participated in breakout exercises and the presentation provided additional resources on these topics from the Center for Technology and Civic Life.
Develop Your Tech Skills to Improve Elections in Your Jurisdiction
- 1. Develop your tech skills to improve elections in your jurisdiction National Association of County Recorders, Election Officials, and Clerks #NACRC15 2015 Annual Conference | Houston, Texas | Saturday, August 22
- 2. #NACRC15
- 3. Who is in the room? Whitney May whitney@techandciviclife.org @whitneymaybe Tiana Epps-Johnson tiana@techandciviclife.org @tianaej
- 4. National Association of County Recorders, Election Officials, and Clerks Keep members fully informed of rapidly changing technologies. www.nacrc.org
- 5. The Center for Technology and Civic Life Use technology to improve how local government and communities interact. @HelloCTCL www.techandciviclife.org
- 6. Millions of people look for election information online.
- 7. We publish large datasets and develop civic data infrastructure.
- 9. 60 million
- 10. We train local election officials how to use technology to improve their communication with voters.
- 11. 1/3
- 13. After this session, you will: Understand why technology is important when communicating election information. Know how to best publish election information online. Have additional tech resources to modernize your offices communication.
- 14. Todays session 1.Using mobile technology 2.Prioritizing content 3.Writing in plain language
- 15. Make your information available on any device Use mobile technology
- 16. Use mobile technology to share election information 1. Why is mobile important? 2. What are common mobile terms? 3. Breakout exercise. 4. Report back to the group. 5. Additional mobile tech resources.
- 17. The rise of mobile tech
- 18. How we use smartphones 81% of owners use their phones to send or receive text messages. 60% of owners use their phones to go online. 50% of owners use their phones to download apps.
- 19. Common mobile terms Responsive Web Design RWD creates an optimized viewing experience, like easy reading and navigation, across any device. Mobile website A mobile website is developed specifically for a fast and efficient experience on mobile devices. Pages load quickly, content is usually in a list format, and visuals are simplified. Web app A web app is software that runs a task in a web browser. Example: Google Maps. Native app A native app is built for a certain mobile device. Downloaded directly to the device, usually from an app store. SMS Short Message Service sends text messages to a mobile phone; a smartphone is not required.
- 20. Breakout #1 What apps or websites do you visit most on your phone? What do you like about them? What frustrates you about them?
- 21. Report back
- 22. SMS
- 23. Mobile website
- 24. Mobile app
- 25. Mobile tech resources CTCL training & website template Voting Information Project www.votinginfoproject.org
- 26. What information are voters looking for online? Prioritize content
- 27. Prioritize your online content 1. Breakout exercise. 2. Report back to the group. 3. What research tells us about the types of questions voters are asking online. 4. How your online presence can best meet your voters needs. 5. Tools to understand what information your voters are looking for.
- 28. Your website should reflect voters questions, rather than how your offices work is organized.
- 29. Breakout #2 What are your voters top 5 questions? Rank them in order of importance to voters.
- 30. Report back
- 32. #2 What are my options for where and how to vote?
- 33. #3 When is the next election? Other key dates?
- 34. #4 How do I contact my election official?
- 35. #5 What happens at the polling place?
- 36. Tools for voter research in your own jurisdiction
- 38. Focus group Victoria Lungu / CC BY
- 39. Web analytics
- 40. Make a plan Who are you trying to reach? What are their needs? What are their pain points? Are you answering their basic questions? Are you speaking to them in language they can understand?
- 41. Voter communication resources CTCL training & website template Field Guides from the Center for Civic Design: www.civicdesign.org Google Analytics: www.google.com/analytics Google forms: https://docs.google.com/forms
- 42. Help everyone read, understand, and use your information Write in plain language
- 43. Write election information in plain language 1. What is plain language? 2. Why is it important? 3. Breakout exercise. 4. Report back to the group. 5. Additional plain language resources.
- 44. Before: If that oval is not marked, your vote cannot be counted for the candidate.
- 45. After: You must fill in the oval for your vote to count. Source: Center for Civic Design
- 46. Plain language principles Use the active voice. Write directly to the reader. Include straightforward, familiar terms. Use short words and short sentences. List important information separate from paragraph text.
- 47. Plain language edits Instead of: Adopting a collaborative approach to coordinating the utilization of office equipment would be much appreciated by the office staff. Use: Lets work as a team to coordinate the use of office equipment. Source: PEI Literacy Alliance
- 48. Why is plain language important? Reaches people with low literacy. Avoids misunderstandings. Increases accessibility. Saves your office time and money.
- 49. Plain design principles Align text to the left of the page. Use a font that is clear and easy to read. Organize text to create white space on the page.
- 51. Breakout #3 Write information in plain language
- 52. Report back
- 53. Plain language edits Instead of: If you tear, or deface, or wrongly mark this ballot, return it and obtain another. Do not attempt to correct mistakes on the ballot by making erasures or cross outs. Erasures or cross outs may invalidate all or part of your ballot. Prior to submitting your ballot, if you make a mistake in completing the ballot or wish to change your ballot choices, you may obtain and complete a new ballot. You have a right to a replacement ballot upon return of the original ballot. Use: If you make a mistake, ask a poll worker for another ballot. Source: Center for Civic Design
- 54. 5 steps for plain writing 1. Identify and describe your target audience. 2. Structure the content to guide the reader through it. 3. Write the content in plain language. 4. Use plain design to help the readers see and understand. 5. Test with your audience. www.centerforplainlanguage.org
- 55. Plain language resources CTCL training & website template Field Guides from the Center for Civic Design www.civicdesign.org Center for Plain Language checklist www.centerforplainlanguage.org
- 56. CTCL Website Training Program Official launch
- 57. Professional development opportunities with CTCL In-person training at your office Online workshop with a small group September 29 October 1 October 21 October 23 December 2 December 4 January 12 January 14 Self-paced online course
- 60. hello@techandciviclife.org @HelloCTCL www.techandciviclife.org Thank you & the National Association of County Recorders, Election Officials, and Clerks.
Editor's Notes
- #12: Based on research from the Center for Civic Design, in 2013 over 900 counties in the U.S. (or 1/3 of counties) did not have an election website.
- #16: Pew research found that in 2014 65% of U.S. adults owned a smartphone. We are using our smartphones for more than just making calls, texting emojis, and posting family pictures on Facebook. Increasingly we are using our smartphones to access the Internet and search for issues that we care about, including government services and information. In fact, some people only have access to the Internet via their smartphones, because they do not own a laptop or desktop computer. These are predominantly low-income communities and young people. In this section we will discuss the nuts and bolts of using mobile technology to reach people with your election information.
- #27: We know that when voters cant find the answers to their questions that they are less likely to vote. They are also more likely to call your office taking up precious staff time and resources.
- #28: In this section well discuss what research tells us about the types of information voters are looking for online, how your online presence should reflect voters questions, and how to better understand exactly what questions YOUR voters have.
- #38: When to use a community survey: You need a quick and efficient way of getting information You need to reach a large number of people Pro Large numbers of people can give their input Low cost People can respond at their convenience Con Often has low return rate Limited alternative expression of respondent's reaction May not truly represent the whole group
- #39: When to use a focus group: When you are considering the introduction of a new program or service. When you want to ask questions that can't easily be asked or answered on a written survey. When you want to supplement the knowledge you can gain from written surveys. depth and complexity of response group members can often stimulate new thoughts for each other Time and facilitator
- #43: Today weve discussed the importance of making your election information mobile-friendly and organizing your online content so it answers voters questions. In this final section we will dig into the principles of writing your information in a way so that voters, once they have found your information, can understand it and act on it confidently.
- #49: Studies show that over 40% of U.S. adults have low literacy.
- #55: Who is your audience? What do they want to do? What do they need to know? Readers can quickly find the information they are looking for. (effective headings) Readers understand the words the first time they read them. Readers move through the information quickly. (white space and font size/colors as signposts) Readers find what they need, understand what they find, act on it.