An Assessment of V

Technology and Ballot 

Paul S. HeCenter for Politics anUniversity 
Lessons from the 2000 

Presidential Election

z Voting technology and ballot design ca

election outcomes

z Technology is in need of updating z Need to improve understanding of hum

interaction as it relates to voting

z Election judges are in need of better trz Voting procedures affect voter confidez Minorities and the poor are more likely 

ballots on outdated systems
Our project

z Brings together an interdisciplinary tea

scientists and computer scientists

z Uses a variety of research designs, da

methodologies, and analysis technique

z Is guided by interaction with practitione

makers 

z Is funded by National Science Founda

0306698
Proposed Research

z Test existing voting technology and bz Create and test new technology and z Assess the impact of changing voter z Develop guidelines for system manu

election officials

z Develop a protocol for testing techno

ballots

z Disseminate findings and archive dat
Testing Existing Technolo

z Expert Reviewz Usability Testsz Natural Experiments
Expert Review

z Quality of paper or on-screen ballotsz Quality of instructions and help commz Ease of moving from one place on th

another

z Feedback or warnings for underor oz Ease of inserting or removing voting 

ballots, or other mechanisms

z Adequacy of review screensz Ability to accommodate disabled votz Privacy afforded to voters
Usability-Laboratory Test

z Produce detailed observations of vot

interactions and reactions

z Measure voters’ intentionsz Assess voters’ beliefs about the secu

and privacy of their votes

z Provide early feedback on technologz Contribute to formulation of field test

experiments
Usability-Field Tests I

z Involves “think aloud” methodz Time voters spend reading instructioz Response to paper or on-screen balz Response to the reporting of under- z Ability to change a votez Complications and malfunctions of D

Scan Readers
Usability-Field Tests II

z Extend observations to individuals in 

circumstances more similar to those voters on Election Day

z Involves a larger and more heterogez Consists of observation of voters usi

administration of post-voting questiodata analysis

z Simulate voting experience in Maryla

New York, and other states
Natural Experiments

z Assess impact of new voter interface

procedures on spoiled ballots, residuoff, split-tickets, and turnout

z Analyze impact of variations in techn

formats, and procedures among stat

z Allow pre- and postreform analysesz Analyze data using interrupted time z Control for voter demographics, regi

systems, and other elements

z Informed speculation about voter ed

campaigns
Create and Test New Tech

and Ballot Designs

z Develop new voter interface designsz Prototype of a zoomable voting syste

http://www.cs.umd.edu/~bederson/vo
Develop Guidelines for Manu

and Election Officials and Testing Protocol

z Develop general principles and state

our laboratory and field testing

z Create a protocol that will enable ele

to quickly assess the technology and intend to use on Election Day

z Provide other researchers with the to

our research
Disseminate Findings and 

Archive Data

z Present our work at a variety of profe

public forums

z Archive all of the data for this project 

in Ann Arbor, Michigan 

z Make data available on CD-ROM and 
Partners and Participants

z Partners and participants include

– Election officials in several states a– Research organizations and univer

z New partners and partnerships s

– Election officials– Research organizations– Voting machine manufacturers
Benefits From This Resea

z Improve understanding of human-com

interaction as it relates to voting

z Develop a new approach to data colle

analysis in the study of voting interfacebehavior

z Archive dataz Improve voting technology, ballot desi

administration of elections
Principal Investigators

z Paul S. Herrnson, University of Marylaz Benjamin B. Bederson, University of Mz Frederick G. Conrad, University of Micz Richard G. Niemi, University of Rochez Michael W. Traugott, University of Mic
For More Information

Paul S. HerrnsonCenter for American Politics and CitizeUniversity of Maryland1108 Tawes HallCollege Park, MD 20742(301) 405-4123pherrnson@capc.umd.eduwww.capc.umd.edu