This year, notable events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement have shaped everyone’s views on the world in one way or another. With the U.S. Presidential Election coming up in November 2020, these events have also changed perspectives on America and the principles that determine how it is run. As a team, we decided to design for the voter experience because of the prevalence of voter apathy and the need for individuals to get involved in issues affecting everyday life. We want to make it easier for people to take time out of their day to speak up and share their voice.
According to the US Census Bureau, in November 2018, the most common reason for not voting was being too busy or having conflicting schedules. Through user interviews, we discovered that some people feel that they do not have the time to vote because they view voting as such a complicated process. The resources that are available are not easily digestible or well condensed so it takes even more time to understand how to vote properly.
The main thing I think would take up the most time is researching how to vote and the whole process. (age 19, student)
My biggest difficulty was probably finding transportation to the polling location. I didn’t have a car at the time and I went in the middle of the day. I had to schedule it around my classes, and if I had employment, it would’ve been even harder. (age 22, unemployed)