What is Election Hub?
The goal for this digital platform is to increase voter turnout, specifically for local government elections. This is a UX Case Study for MEJO 581: User Experience Design and Usability.
Persona Interview Questions:
1. Are you registered to vote where you currently live or in another city?
2. Did you grow up/currently surround yourself with politically active friends and family?
3. What does your daily routine look like? Do you have a lot of free time?
4. How do you pick which candidate to support? Is it more who aligns with your party or with a particular issue?
5. How do you get your news? Which platform?
6. Do you use social media? What is the extent? Just for social purposes or to consume news as well?
7. How do you value local elections in comparison to national elections?
8. What is your understanding of the role of local government?
9. What are some of the challenges you feel exist when it comes to wanting to research candidates for local government?
10. How much do you know about specific protocols and deadlines regarding early voting or absentee ballots?
The purpose of integrating an Election Hub into Facebook’s platform is to maximize reach of the voting-age population. By having a platform that communicates the direct impacts a local government has on individuals, the hope is that people will be more motivated to take control of their vote. Some of the features include a questionnaire that shows users what issues they care about and candidates they align with most, an A-Z section providing all necessary information about the role local government officials play, and a spot where all candidate news, bios, and platforms are gathered for convenience. As users explore these sections, they can choose which topics and candidates they care most about and “follow” them throughout the rest of the election season. News related to these followed items will appear in the user’s daily digest. The hub also integrates features such as an Election Day countdown and a “to-do” checklist so that voters are more aware of important dates and follow appropriate voting protocols.
Why will the Election Hub work? Put simply, because it’s easy! It diminishes the need for individuals to go out of their way to do candidate/issue research, and instead integrates it into a platform that is already a part of their daily routine. Election Hub allows the user to go as in-depth with research as they want, or to lay back and let the algorithm do the work! Though this project is not a “one-size-fits-all” solution, it is versatile enough that it becomes a feasible platform sure to have positive effects on voter turnout.
