The AIGA DEC is proud to support AIGA Design For Democracy and the Building Community Power Voting Engagement Campaign by sharing this curricular opportunity for students.
Introduction
Citizens exercising their fundamental right to vote is a crucial part of any community. The leaders we elect to public office, whether on local or national levels, make decisions that impact our daily lives.
Unfortunately, voter turnout across the United States is abysmally low. According to the PEW Research Center, only 56% of eligible voters showed up to the polls during the 2016 election. This means that a significant portion of the electorate forfeited the chance to weigh in on issues ranging from healthcare and education to the economy, the environment, and immigration. Though it is easy to become disillusioned and underestimate the value of a single ballot, voting is essential and can inspire us through the evidence of its own impact. To truly affect change, however, every citizen must register and make their voice heard. Too often, individuals don’t or can’t exercise their power as members of their own communities. How, then, might designers use visual communication to spark activism and help increase voter turnout?
Brief
Designers can work to improve enthusiasm among voters by promoting citizen engagement strategies and getting involved in community organizing and civic literacy. To that end, AIGA, the professional organization for design, is partnering with Nonprofit VOTE in the development of an open source database of digital assets to support Nonprofit VOTE’s National Voter Registration Day on September 25, 2018, and bolster participation in the 2018 midterm elections. This brief is a call for student designers to submit clear, engaging, and accessible social media content to motivate voters to register or confirm their registration, and cast ballots either via early voting or on election day, Tuesday, November 6.