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Design for Democracy: Ballot and Election Design

A work made of book.
Image courtesy of �Tim Wilson

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  • A work made of book.

Date:

2007

Artist:

Marcia Lausen
American, born 1959

About this artwork

Following the now-infamous “butterfly ballot” incident in Florida, in which the ballot type confused voters during the 2000 presidential race, graphic designer Marcia Lausen, as part of a strategic program organized by the American Institute of Graphic Arts, set out to determine new guidelines for the American voting process. Recognizing the importance of well-designed ballots to a functioning democracy, this manual presents suggestions for solving issues such as color palette, typography, and image use in order to improve the clarity and efficiency of the voting system. This project is an excellent example of the way designers take urgent problems and create objects that people can use in their everyday lives, helping to make complex information more understandable and visualizing new thinking that can have an enormous impact on the world.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Architecture and Design

Artist

Marcia Lausen (Designer)

Title

Design for Democracy: Ballot and Election Design

Place

United States (Object designed in)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

2007

Medium

Book

Dimensions

22.5 × 31.5 × 2 cm (8 7/8 × 12 3/8 × 13/16 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Studio/lab

Reference Number

2009.28.1-3

Copyright

Design: Studio/lab

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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