Democracy is a design problem
Elections should work for everyone. We're here to make that happen.
What do we do?
Teach civic design skills
A few core skills are at the heart of our work. Bolster your knowledge of plain language, accessibility, and other principles
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Create tools and resources
Put our library of usable tools and templates to use in your elections office today.
Browse tools
Support in running elections
We support states and counties in running efficient, effective, and secure elections. See how we’ve improved aspects of the voter experience.
Learn how we support running elections
Research succinct supporting text
Our work is based on research with real voters and election offices from around the country.
Learn about our researchNew resources
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Choosing how to communicate with voters
Election officials have more ways to communicate with voters than ever before, from traditional printed booklets, to the web, radio and…
Designing usable ballots
We know now from several years of testing ballots all over the U.S. that implementing simple principles of design make it much…
Creating accessible online information
The people who come to your website have a wide range of needs. When we talk about making websites and…
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Sign up for Civic DesigningSupport our mission
Your support helps us create research, tools, and design best practices that improve voting experiences across the country.
SupportHow do we work?
We work with elections offices and advocates across the country using design best practices to remove barriers in the voter journey and invite participation in democracy.
- National brand for VBM
- Effective voter communications
- Setting standards
- Bridging communities
Our mail-in ballot envelope designs ensure every voter can confidently cast a ballot
Our vote by mail materials are in use in over 20 states since 2016, making dreams of a national standard closer to reality.
Our designs make casting a ballot clear and straightforward for voters and efficient for the U.S. Postal Service to process. And they reduce the number of mail-in ballots that are rejected due to technical errors.
Our best practices improve voter communications
Election officials nationwide use our field guides, toolkits, and training to communicate with voters clearly and effectively. By applying these best practices, offices have created voter guides and election materials that make every step of the voter journey easier to understand.
Our resources have also shaped how information about elections should be written on a national level, from the EAC Voter Education Design Toolkit to new plain language laws in Maryland and New York.
We write standards that define election accessibility and excellence
As partners in the U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence, we set nonpartisan benchmarks that define excellence in election administration, raising the bar for innovation, outreach, and voter trust across the country.
For the Election Assistance Commission’s Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG), we chaired the work on the first national requirements for usability and accessibility so everyone has equal access to the ballot. Our research continues to support standards for new election systems.
We partner with community groups to invite participation
From Texas to Ohio, we connect election offices and community groups in a 360-degree approach that builds trust and expands participation.
By bridging these worlds, we create elections that are more inclusive and resilient, especially for communities historically left out.
We’re helping make elections work better for everyone.
Read more about how we work
Our democracy depends on safe and secure elections. The design and policy implementation expertise Center for Civic Design brings to election information is crucial to ensuring that all voters can participate in voting.
Thank you so much for your help in creating an updated voter registration form that is eye-appealing, efficient, and easy to use. I appreciate the time and effort that your team put into helping us give the voters of South Dakota a great product. Keep up the good work!
I can't tell you how much I appreciate the bite-snack-meal framework for voter education. It's calming for both the voters and content creators to know we don't have to cover everything at once. We really couldn't have done it without you.
