Review of the Gap between Instructions for Voting and Best Practice in Providing Instructions

摘要

Voters are exercising an important right as American citizens. If they cannot understand how to use their voting materials, they may not be successful in voting for the candidates and positions of their choice. They may make mistakes that invalidate their ballots. They may vote for candidates or positions that are not the ones they meant to vote for. They may be intimidated by unclear or insufficient instructions and give up without voting. Indeed, they may choose not to try to vote. They may not even come to the polling place or ask for an absentee ballot in part because they fear that they will not understand what to do with the ballot or because they had an earlier experience in which they did not understand what to do. Clear instructions are a necessary part of the voting process whether voters use paper ballots, mechanical devices (lever or punch card), electronic devices, or any