Montgomery County Board of Elections
Project Role: UI Design, UX Design, Website Design, Marketing Management, Environmental Design, Ad design, Video Production
Client Summary
The Montgomery County Board of Elections (MCBOE) is a bipartisan group representing a non-partisan government agency in Montgomery County, OH. Their two primary roles are to help voters understand the issues and candidates on the ballot, and to provide candidates with the necessary forms and resources to run a campaign. MCBOE is dedicated to protecting the security and accessibility of elections, ensuring they are executed safely, fairly, and transparently.
The Challenge
Voter confidence is critical to the success of any election. As election cycles became more scrutinized and public trust became a central issue, MCBOE needed a communications campaign that reassured citizens that their votes were secure, accurate, and impactful. This message had to resonate across demographics while also reaching digital-savvy younger voters and those who preferred traditional, paper-based information. It also needed to address all methods of voting, whether by absentee ballot or in-person.
Research & Planning
I was brought in to redefine the MCBOE’s brand and messaging strategy. Beginning in 2019, my team focused on modernizing the Board’s website, messaging, and design assets in preparation for the high-stakes 2020 election. A key part of this work was creating a unifying campaign message: the acronym S.A.F.E., which stood for Secure, Accurate, Fair, and Efficient—a simple yet powerful way to communicate the values at the heart of MCBOE’s mission.
To bring the message to life, we developed new brand guidelines, a modern logo, and cohesive visual assets to be used across all platforms. MCBOE’s content team also worked to integrate legal election language into accessible and engaging copy, ensuring clear communication at every touchpoint.
Designing the Solution
The new branding was expanded into a full ecosystem of tools for both digital and print. This included a fully redesigned website with improved UI/UX that helped users quickly find information on registration, polling locations, candidate lists, and more. Consistent branding extended across all materials—from rack cards and signage to social media posts and TV spots.
In-person voting was also addressed through the creation of printed signage and implementation of environmental UX standards that guided voters clearly through the physical voting process. This helped reduce confusion and improve efficiency at polling locations.
In anticipation of the 2020 election, we launched a strategic, multi-platform campaign that included paid and organic content across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. A complete content calendar and targeted landing pages were developed to keep voters informed and prepared, providing direct access to the tools and information they needed to participate confidently in the election.
Conclusion
The impact of the new branding and campaign was immediate and measurable. During the 2020 election season, the MCBOE website received nearly 200,000 visitors and over 300,000 sessions. Video content reached over 3,500 views with nearly 4,000 minutes watched, reflecting strong community engagement. Voters and candidates responded positively, navigating with greater ease and clarity. Through strategic messaging, thoughtful design, and multi-channel outreach, we helped MCBOE build public trust and deliver one of the most successful election communication efforts in the organization’s history.
