Standardizing Ballots Across 39 Counties

In Washington, 39 counties each design and manage their own vote-by-mail ballot envelopes and packets, resulting in differences in format, terminology, and instructions. These inconsistencies led to mistakes—missing signatures, confusion about which envelope to use—that caused ballots to be rejected. Without polling places or in-person checks, these design gaps created confusion at home and undermined trust in the voting process.
To address this, the Washington State Legislature required the Secretary of State to implement a standardized ballot envelope design across all counties starting with the 2026 primary election. Each county had valid reasons for its existing packets, including local printers, staffing models, budgets, and equipment. A mandated workgroup of state and county officials and subject matter experts had to reconcile these differences to create a solution that met legal requirements, accommodated local constraints, and made voting clear and simple for Washingtonians.
The Secretary of State’s Office partnered with Anthro-Tech to lead a human-centered design process that prioritized voter understanding while ensuring operational and legal compliance. This work included policy analysis, content strategy, user research, visual design, and organizational change management, all aligned to deliver a unified system.
We reviewed national and state guidance, conducted a full audit of existing ballot packets, and cataloged 46 elements into 10 modular components. We identified 24 legal and postal constraints, using them as guideposts to design for compliance from the start. In-person usability testing with 24 voters, including those with visual disabilities, revealed points of confusion and informed improvements like clearer signature boxes and more visible deadlines.
The final design system uses accessible visual patterns, standardized plain language, and allows local customization for logos, translations, and instructions. We provided templates for multiple packet formats, detailed implementation guidance, and facilitated statewide workshops and weekly workgroup sessions to build buy-in.
The result is a ballot envelope system ready for statewide implementation, grounded in best practices. Standardized instructions reduce voter confusion, improve accessibility, and provide the Secretary of State with a sustainable system that eases local design and oversight, creating a consistent, trustworthy voting experience for all Washingtonians.