develop your tech skills to improve elections in your jurisdiction

Develop your tech skills to improve elections inyour jurisdictionNational Association of County Recorders, Election Officials, and Clerks #NACRC152015 Annual Conference | Houston, Texas | Saturday, August 22

#NACRC15

Who is in the room?Whitney Maywhitney@techandciviclife.org@whitneymaybe

Tiana Epps-Johnsontiana@techandciviclife.org@tianaej

National Association of County Recorders, Election Officials, and Clerks Keep members fully informed of rapidly changing technologies.www.nacrc.org

The Center for Technology and Civic LifeUse technology to improve how local government and communities interact.

@HelloCTCL www.techandciviclife.org

Millions of people look for election information online.

We publish large datasets and develop civic data infrastructure.

60 million

We train local election officials how to use technology to improve their communication with voters.

1/3

Before After

www.elections.inyocounty.us

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 office’s communication.

Today’s session1.Using mobile

technology

2.Prioritizing content

3.Writing in plain language

Make your information available on any device

Use mobile technology

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.

The rise of mobile tech

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.

Common mobile terms Responsive Web DesignRWD creates an optimized viewing experience, like easy reading and navigation, across any device.

Mobile websiteA 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 appA web app is software that runs a task in a web browser. Example: Google Maps.

Native appA 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.

Breakout #1

What apps or websites do you visit most on your phone?

What do you like about them?

What frustrates you about them?

Report back

SMS

Mobilewebsite

Mobile app

Mobile tech resources • CTCL training & website template

• Voting Information Projectwww.votinginfoproject.org

What information are voters looking for online?

Prioritize content

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.

Your website should reflect voters’ questions, rather than how your office’s work is organized.

Breakout #2What are your voters’ top 5 questions?

Rank them in order of importance to voters.

Report back

#1What’s on the ballot?

#2What are my options for where and how to vote?

#3When is the next election? Other key dates?

#4How do I contact my election official?

#5What happens at the polling place?

Tools for voter research in your own jurisdiction

Community survey

http://chicagocompletestreets.org/

Focus group

Victoria Lungu / CC BY

Web analytics

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?

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

Help everyone read, understand, and use your information

Write in plain language

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.

Before:

If that oval is not marked, your vote cannot be counted for the candidate.

After:

You must fill in the oval for your vote to count.

Source: Center for Civic Design

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.

Plain language editsInstead of:Adopting a collaborative approach to coordinating the utilization of office equipment would be much appreciated by the office staff.

Use:Let’s work as a team to coordinate the use of office equipment.

Source: PEI Literacy Alliance

Why is plain language important? • Reaches people with low literacy.• Avoids misunderstandings.• Increases accessibility.• Saves your office time and

money.

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.

Breakout #3

Write information in plain language

Report back

Plain language editsInstead 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

5 steps for plain writing1. 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

Plain language resources • CTCL training & website template

• Field Guides from the Center for Civic Designwww.civicdesign.org

• Center for Plain Language checklist

www.centerforplainlanguage.org

CTCL Website Training Program

Official launch

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

www.techandciviclife.org/website-trainings

www.techandciviclife.org/toolkit

hello@techandciviclife.org@HelloCTCLwww.techandciviclife.org

Thank you & the National Association of County Recorders, Election Officials, and Clerks.