As your organization transitions from restrictive, in-person voting to online voting, the generational digital divide is something you need to consider. While online voting is secure and convenient, the elderly voters you’re trying to reach may struggle with this transition.
You can make online ballots more accessible for elderly internet voters by giving them advanced notice of the change in ballot submissions, offer a workshop to help walk them through the process, customize your ballots, and be available for troubleshooting the day of the vote.
Your ElectionBuddy election expert can help walk you through all of these strategies to keep your election accessible and secure. After all, your organization relies on hearing from all members, and making accommodations for elderly voters can be easier than you’d think.
Elderly voters can face a unique set of barriers when transitioning from in-person voting to online ballot submissions. From navigating new technology to struggling to read the fine-print on the screen, your voters may initially feel discouraged with this transition.
But ElectionBuddy is always two steps ahead. Election experts can help your team and voting administrator bridge the gaps elderly voters often face. Here are a few expert tips to keep your vote inclusive and accessible:
You should give notice to your voters that your voting platform and ballot submission process will be changing well in advance. Many times, organizations have already voted for a change in their ballot submission processes, so this may not be a surprise to your voters. However, reminders detailing when voters can expect to see the change, how it will impact them, and what they can do to prepare can bring them peace of mind.
Transparency is critical in elections processes for voters to feel valued and heard. You may receive questions or feedback from your voters, and it may feel negative. However, this means your voters care and are engaged.
By listening to their feedback and responding to questions with patience, you can continue to foster trust and good faith with your elderly voters.
Many organizations find hosting an in-person workshop to conduct a ‘trial vote’ with the digital platform to be beneficial for elderly voters. In this workshop, you can answer questions relating to data and ballot security, even diving into the role of encryption in online voting.
You can also walk voters through how to navigate ballot submissions using a ‘dummy’ ballot on their device of choice. This hands-on approach shows you value their input and you may find they have feedback that will help you design a more accessible ballot.
ElectionBuddy allows you to customize your ballots so that they are more accessible to your voters. Color contrast, text size and scaling, and screen reader access are all barriers for elderly voters and voters with certain disabilities.
With the feedback you received from your notice and workshop, you can tailor your ballots to meet the needs of your voters. ElectionBuddy allows you to add vibrant descriptions, adjust font and text size, and add photos to your ballots to make them easier for elderly voters to navigate.
On election day, make sure you have an assigned point-person whom voters can contact with any questions or issues they run into. These may be simple issues, such as ensuring they have stable internet connection or that they need help logging into their ballot with the link they were sent.
Having someone available to support elderly voters can help you receive more votes from this group.
The transition to online voting can be easy when you plan ahead. Of course, it’s not the only option. ElectionBuddy offers both online and in-person voting options for organizations, so you can customize your election to suit your voters’ needs!
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