Electioneering : Final Project Checklist

• CONTENT | What questions need answering on Board of Elections websites?  I am brainstorming to gather as many questions as might be relevant to a voter.  As the project is focused on the voter as user, it creates a stricter guideline for questions to ask.

  • STATUS : Currently brainstorming.  Still perusing through websites that are well-done to collect questions.  Also, I want to keep in mind that it’s not just about answering the questions, but perhaps the WAY the questions are answered.  For instance, New Hampshire has available “How To Vote” videos available for download.  Currently, they are not in their most accessible presentation as one is required to fully download to their hard disk, but definitely the idea and resources are there.

• TECHNOLOGY | I have begun my introduction into setting up my own wiki for this project.  I agree that utilizing the web community to populate the project with content is a good idea.

  • STATUS : I have downloaded WackoWiki software to begin setting up the project.  This is my first experience with setting up a wiki, so there is a learning curve, but luckily I am taking Intro to DB, so at least it’s not quite as foreign as it could be.  Worst case is that I simply begin collecting the information on my own and posting it in table form.  I think that more interesting results will stem from this being a group project, though.  We shall see… we shall see…

• OUTREACH | Once running, by what method should I do outreach to ask for help?  Should I target organizations like the League of Women Voters?  Or perhaps there are forums where I am able to post the project?

  • STATUS : Keeping this in the back of my mind, but not quite ready to ask for help just yet.

Electioneering : Questions Every Voter Needs Answered

Deciding on what questions every voter needs answered on their state’s Board of Elections website:

Before I begin to analyze each of the state’s websites, I really need to focus on what information needs to be at their fingertips. Not all of the information available on each state’s website will be relevant to this exercise. I looked to the Help America Vote Act of 2002 for direction on what questions need answering, as well.

HAVA 2002:

To establish a program to provide funds to States to replace punch card voting systems, to establish the Election Assistance Commission to assist in the administration of Federal elections and to otherwise provide assistance with the administration of certain Federal election laws and programs, to establish minimum election administration standards for States and units of local government with responsibility for the administration of Federal elections, and for other purposes.

Question Brainstorming:

• How do I vote?
• Where do I vote?
• Am I eligible to vote?
• Do I need to do anything before I can vote? (register, etc.)
• When do I vote?
• Who are the candidates?
• What do I do when I get to the Polling Site?
• What are the rules of the Polling Site?
• How do I use the voting machine?
• I am disabled, are accessible voting booths available?
• Is the voting system secure?
• How do I become a Poll Worker?

Other Questions:

• Should the analysis also have a section on the level of technology used?  For instance, New Hampshire offers videos on “How to Vote” (see rest of post below) vs. Oklahoma that requires its users to download pdf’s for nearly all of its resources.
• Should the analysis offer a vote for “Best in Show” sites so that those contributing to the project can say whether one state sets an example (perhaps through visual design, navigation, resources)?  This would not be a full on analysis of each state’s detailed graphics or navigation, but could be a useful tool to narrow down what states are easy to view which can play an important roll in user interaction.