BallotWise

A project created by students from:

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About BallotWise

BallotWise is a civic engagement platform designed to empower undecided voters with accessible, personalized insights into the voting records of candidates on their ballots and a preview of their ballot. BallotWise breaks down each candidate's voting records records and real, tangible actions in Congress by providing easy-to-understand summaries of the bill alongside how they voted for it. BallotWise selects bills related to the 10 political issues that the New York Times/Siena Poll reports were front and center for the 2024 Election Cycle.

Through this, BallotWise fosters transparency and accountability—voters can see a candidate's actions, not just their promises. It serves as a bridge for voters, especially young, low-income individuals in swing states, to develop informed voting plans based on their values and preferences. The platform’s mission is rooted in promoting informed civic participation and strengthening democracy.

How it Works

1. The user enters their zip code, with no account creation needed, so that we can communicate with the Google Civics API to gather the relevant races, candidates, and election data.

2. The user sees a preview of their ballot on Election Day and can browse through each candidate, seeing how they've voted on real congressional bills on widely discussed issues for the 2024 Election Cycle. BallotWise provides a nonpartisan, easy-to-understand summary of what the bill aimed to do generated by OpenAI's GPT-4o and reviewed by a policy expert.

3. The user can select who they'd like to vote for on Election Day and creates a personalized voting guide to take with them into the voting booth.

Crafting a Visual Identity

When developing the visual identity for BallotWise, I wanted to ensure that the brand felt approachable yet trustworthy. The challenge was to visually balance the seriousness of civic responsibility with an engaging, nonpartisan, and empowering design.

Colors for Nonpartisanship

One of the foundational decisions for BallotWise’s branding was the color palette. I selected a blend of red and blue gradients—symbolizing the bipartisan nature of political discourse in the U.S.—but ensured the hues met at a neutral midpoint. This gradient subtly reinforces the idea that BallotWise doesn’t lean left or right but sits at the center, presenting facts objectively. The use of a clean white backdrop amplifies clarity and mirrors the transparency at the core of the platform.

A Typeface for Credibility

I chose a serif font, Geller, for the BallotWise logo and supporting materials to evoke a sense of trustworthiness, tradition, and intellectual rigor. Serif fonts are often associated with established institutions like newspapers and government organizations, making them a perfect fit for a platform dedicated to credible information. The font adds a layer of gravitas while remaining modern and legible.Geller is paired with Area, a sleek, modern sans-serif font to emphasize BallotWise's modern, technology-driven approach to civic engagement.

Adding Humanity and Personality

The standout feature of the logo is the “W,” which is crafted from two hand-drawn checkmarks. This design choice was intentional to humanize the brand and subtly allude to voting and civic engagement. The imperfect, hand-drawn style brings a sense of individuality and approachability, reminding users that the voting process is personal and that their unique voices matter. This detail sets BallotWise apart from the more sterile aesthetics of traditional civic tools.

Process and Evolution

Developing this brand identity involved multiple iterations and feedback loops. I began by sketching several concepts, some leaning more minimal and others more symbolic. Early versions of the logo leaned too heavily into modern sans-serif fonts, which felt clinical rather than empowering. After testing different layouts and color schemes, I returned to the serif typeface to anchor the design in trustworthiness.The checkmark “W” was also a later addition—introduced after reflecting on how to infuse the brand with more personality. By incorporating familiar civic symbols like the checkmark, the final logo became more recognizable and intuitive without being overly literal.

Every aspect of the visual identity reinforces BallotWise’s core message of accessible, unbiased information. The combination of trustworthy serif fonts, a humanized checkmark, and a neutral, unifying color scheme conveys a commitment to truth, transparency, and empowerment. The imagery of ballots and participation emphasizes that the platform is here to equip voters, not sway them. The overall brand feels informative yet personal—designed to resonate with voters looking for clarity amid the noise.The visual identity of BallotWise was built to reflect its nonpartisan mission while engaging its audience in a meaningful, approachable way. From the thoughtful use of color to the human-centered design choices, the brand embodies its role as a civic guide—trustworthy, empowering, and essential.