Baseline Usability Data for a Non-Electronic Approach to Accessible Voting

The Help America Vote Act mandated that all polling places have an accessible method of voting that provides privacy and independence. Direct Recording Electronic voting machines (DREs) have been assumed to be the solution to providing accessible voting, but there is reason to believe extant systems do not adequately serve this goal (Runyan, 2007). This study is a first step in addressing the lack of existing data on the usability of nonelectronic accessible voting methods and examined the usability of Vote-PAD, a tactile paper ballot. In comparison with sighted users voting on an identical paper ballot, blind users took five times longer to vote. Both blind and sighted voters showed similar error rates and types, and reported similarly high satisfaction with the usability of paper ballots. Blindfolded subjects, representative of newly blind individuals, had reliably lower satisfaction using this interface, and took significantly longer than either blind or sighted subjects. This provides a baseline comparison point for future studies of accessibility solutions, including though not limited to DREs. Audio instructions were created with the text-to-speech (TTS) program Natural Reader, using the NeoSpeech voice “Kate” set to speed 2. Audio instructions were provided to subjects on cassette tape. Subjects had full control of the cassette tape player, and were informed of the player’s tactile buttons (play, stop, pause, fast forward, and rewind) and the location and operation of the volume control. The play button, which was particularly difficult to find because it was centered in the middle of a section of buttons, was given a triangular tactile marker to help subjects locate it. The audio guide directed voters through the ballot using the raised tactile markers as landmarks. Each contest consisted of the reading of the candidates’ names, the spelling of the candidates’ last names, and the candidates’ political parties. The candidates’ names and parties were then quickly repeated, before moving on to the next contest. For example, the audio transcript for voting for the Commissioner of General Land Office was: In the middle column on the front of the ballot, there are 8 contests. The top contest is for Commissioner of General Land Office, a State office. There are two candidates. Vote for only one. The top hole is a vote for: Sam Saddler, S a d d l e r, Republican party. The bottom hole is for Elise Ellzey, E l l z e y, Democratic party. Again. Top hole: Sam Saddler, Republican party. Bottom hole: Elise Ellzey, Democratic