Voting Ballots: A Personal Illusion of Democracy
Hey There,
It's Josh and I want to bring to attention something that is coming up soon; Election Day.
But first, what do you see in the picture?
credit Pixabay
Or more specifically, what colors do you see?
I see a yellow side, a blue side and a red top.
Right?...
What if I told you the colors you are observing in the picture is actually an illusion and it doesn't exists outside of yourself; at least in the real world. Those colors you are seeing don't exist, at least in the same way that gravity or atoms exist. The conception of what color is, actually just that, a concept; it is created inside your mind. It comes from your brain interpreting the specific frequencies of the electro-magnetic spectrum sensed by your eyes. In other words I can measure the length of ultraviolet wave. However there is no way I or anyone else can measure your experience of a color in your mind.
So how would I know that when you and I look and observe the same object that we are actually experiencing that object the same way?
The designers of voter ballots ask a similar question when making a ballot ticket. There's a number of variables that can influence a voters casting.
In the 2000 presidential election there was a some confusing elements of the ballot in the state of Florida that confused many of the voters that year. Remember "Florida voter errors cost Gore the election." Until that year the visual layout of a ballot was surprisingly ignored.
Now most of you are probably wondering, who are designers of the ballots that record our votes?
Well, that depends on where you are.
Most electoral voting ballots are designed with the guidelines set by organizations like, U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) and The American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) with a "Design for Democracy"
The American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) Design for Democracy was started in 1998 specifically to apply design tools and development to increase the interaction between the government and the citizens. They provide collaborations, designers and research to make the guidelines on what makes a good voting ballot. Taking into consideration factors like:
- Ballot shapes and size
- Voting systems
- Local laws
- Design change management
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) uses a system that relies on testing and exercise feedback that is reviewed by appointed Standard Boards and a Board of Advisers. These commissioners are then confirmed through the U.S. Senate. Also the EAC is required to submit an annual report to Congress about periodic testing and any related issues.
But using AIGA or the EAC guidelines isn't a requirement. In 2000 the voting ballot in Florida was changed at the last minute to a larger font to help people who are older read them better. This in turn effected the layout of the ballot by spreading the names of candidates from one page to cover two pages. Making it difficult for voters to distinguish which hole to punch for the candidate ticket they wanted to vote on.
Ok, so why isn't there a federal standard on the design of voter ballets to avoid confusion?
Well...
Maybe some of you can recall the 10th Amendment,
credit PixabayReserved Powers. The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
10th Amendment
The states still have their own local elections to deal with and incorporate into the voting ballot on Election day.
The good thing is that over the past few elections designs are getting better and ballot designers are learning new ways to insure that voters can understand the layout of a ballot and correctly cast votes. However, if people can be easily swayed by a couple of changes occurring are we really voting the way we want to vote?
Remember the Rubik's Cube in the beginning of this post? How do I know that the same colors I see, experience and interpret are the same colors that you see, experience and interpret?
The same question can be applied to the voter ballots we will see on Election day. Taking into consideration that no two individuals see things exactly the same and we are really, alone in our own minds. The qualia of the human mind is diverse and no matter what, there will always be an explanatory gap between individuals. Perhaps this is due to the failure of human communication. But keep in mind we can always ask a question.
The theory of Mind is the ability to know that other beings have beliefs, intents, experiences and knowledge different one's own. This an ability we are not born with, its something that develops over time.
You all are GREAT and thank you for reading my post. It is my pleasure to share and help educate.
Please leave your comments and share any additional information you may have on this subject.
... And of course Stay Safe!
Resources:
Pixabay Rubik Cube
Florida voter errors cost Gore the election
U.S. Election Assistance Commission
Pixabay constitution
Hi I'm Josh Fischbach I live in the Yosemite area and work in the Environmental Industry. I'm interested in health, better living and Sci-Fi. (TNG RULES!).
REMEMBER TO VOTE!
Excellent post, our personal perspectives are significant.