Voting Machine Accessibility Study
Evaluating civic technology for visually impaired and mobility-challenged users
Voting machines are legally required to be accessible — but real-world usability often falls short of what is technically compliant.
I joined as a usability observer to document specific pain points and capture qualitative feedback from users who depend on assistive features daily.
Conducted structured observation sessions with participants using audio-assisted and switch-access voting interfaces.
- Recruited through Perkins School for the Blind
- Observed 6 participants across two interface types
- Documented friction with audio cues, tactile feedback, and navigation sequencing
- Synthesized findings into an actionable brief
Audio feedback was present but inconsistently timed — creating confusion during multi-step ballot sequences.
- Navigation back-tracking was not intuitive for switch-access users
- Contrast ratios met AA but failed in bright-light conditions
- Time-out warnings lacked adequate notice for slow readers
- Participants expressed frustration at relying on poll workers for confirmation
Compiled findings into a usability brief shared with study organizers. Recommended prioritizing audio timing improvements and extending session timeout windows as quick wins. The experience deepened my understanding of accessibility as a user rights issue, not just a checklist.