Find safe, secure, in-person locations to drop off your mail-in or absentee ballot
Who We Are
Hack for LA is the official Los Angeles chapter of �Code for America.
We bring together civic-minded volunteers to build digital products, programs and services with community partners and local government to address issues in our LA region.
Hack for LA is Inclusive
150 Active Project volunteers
450 Monthly Active Members
We are Students Unemployed Employed Retired
6,300 Total Members
Volunteers aged 9 to 70
Self Taught to PhDs
We are Veterans
Disabled
Neurodiverse
100% Volunteer Powered
We are Gender and Sexual Identity diverse
BallotNav’s Mission Statement
Prevent voter disenfranchisement by providing reliable and up-to-date information on ballot drop off locations across the US.
Challenges Voters Face When Voting by Ballot Drop Box
Drop box availability and location is difficult to find
Information about drop box voting is scattered across different voting websites; websites are not always up to date
Lack of accessibility information for drop box locations
Information can be inaccessible to voters if they choose to not disclose personal information (can include state ID number, date of birth and legal name)
What Does BallotNav do?
Let’s voters find their nearest drop-box location on a professional map
Provides accessibility information on all drop-box locations and lets you share location via email, Facebook, and Twitter
Information is validated by a nationwide team of volunteers that call election jurisdictions to verify drop box information
What We’ve Learned - Mapbox
Google Map View
Mapbox View
Reusing successful open source code
3 years of expertise in using civic tech volunteers to validate data
Tier permissions and reviews for accuracy and completion
User flagging of invalid data
Designs for New Interface for BallotNav
Ways We Can Work Together
Voter research on digital tool user habits
Building partnerships to increase embeds of Vote.org free civic engagement tools
Appendix
Easy to Navigate
Header allows volunteers to move through information screens as information is collected
Designs for New Interface for BallotNav
Audit Log�Location records are time-stamped with verification assignments and updates provided
Designs for New Interface for BallotNav
HackforLA’s Competencies
Structured organization
Committed volunteers
Track-record of successful projects
Hack for LA’s Food Oasis project built software to support training and coordinating non-technical volunteers who continuously gather up-to-date food pantry and hot meal services listings in Los Angeles.
Project Example:
Have to call or email to receive information about hours
Having to type in personal information to get results
BallotNav Users - Timing
Busy parents, who are juggling kids and work, want to vote and experience barriers �that lead to abandonment of task
BallotNav takes 10-seconds or less. Users can choose from entering only their zip code or full address.
Solution:
Connecticut’s Town Clerk list
Time is a limited resource for parents who spend on average >330 minutes a day with their kids.
Problem:
Map contains unnecessary information
No information on �polling place accessibility
BallotNav Users - Accessibility
Grandpa is looking online for information on his polling locations accessibility, and directions to his nearest dropbox and he can’t find it.
BallotNav provides self-help information on the accessibility of dropbox locations that is easy to share.
Solution:
Connecticut’s Town Clerk list
More than one-sixth (18 percent) of voters with disabilities reported difficulties voting in person in 2020.
Problem:
Use of Google Maps