The Evolution of Ballot Papers - Countries’ Political History Through the Design of Ballot Papers
Through this interactive multimedia timeline, you can explore how ballots have evolved in Denmark, Finland, Germany, Lithuania, and Sweden. Moreover, you will be able to view ballots that were used in historic elections. This includes the ballot used for the 1994 South African Parliament election which marked the first election with universal suffrage and the so-called butterfly ballot used during the contested 2000 US Presidential election.
The way ballot papers are fashioned changed sharply among countries
and throughout history and it constitutes a meaningful tool to
comprehend election systems and the deep interrelation between
stakeholders.
"The design of a ballot paper is important to election administrators as a key tool to understand the voter’s intentions and political choices: a good design presents clear and understandable options to voter and reduces the chances of voter error. But beyond this utilitarian function, the ballot carries a powerful symbolic value of the compact between the citizen and the state, or, more simply put: ‘my vote matters’.
This exhibition presents a range of ballots that illustrate these design choices and historical significance – from the 2000 Florida Gore – Bush ‘hanging chad’ ballot, to the South African 1994 first post-apartheid ballot."
