A User Interface Usability Evaluation of the Electronic Ballot Box Used in the 2014 Brazilian Election.

Electronic ballot boxes are becoming one of the main instruments used to represent and reinforce democracy in modern world electoral processes. Most recent research focuses on security, confidentiality and trust requirements. Few of those works target ergonomics, usability, and accessibility of the user interface (UI) and interaction elements issues. We present an empirical evaluation based on usability heuristics and accessibility guidelines assessed from the UI elements presented to voters during their interaction with the electronic ballot box used in the 2014 national Brazilian election. We show that there are many recommendations and design suggestions that can reduce voter’s confusion, decrease the number of typing errors, and increase the accessibility for voters with special needs.