Elections in Norway

Blanke Ark / Election Materials for the Norwegian Ministry of Local Government

Blanke Ark is a comprehensive redesign of Norway’s official election materials, developed for the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development. The project aimed to create a more inclusive, intuitive, and visually unified voting experience for all citizens, regardless of age, language proficiency, or functional ability.

Background

The original voting materials had evolved over decades, resulting in a fragmented and sometimes confusing system. With Blanke Ark ("Blank Slate"), the ambition was to start fresh — to rethink how information is presented in the democratic process. The goal was to foster trust, accessibility, and clarity through thoughtful design. The process involved extensive research, usability testing, and collaboration with both governmental stakeholders and end users.

Design Strengths

• Clarity and Accessibility: All materials — from ballots to voting instructions and envelopes — were redesigned with a clear typographic hierarchy, simple language, and strong visual consistency.

• Universal Design: The system meets high standards of accessibility, making it easier to vote for people with cognitive, visual, or linguistic challenges.

• Modularity: The design system is flexible and scalable, adaptable for national, regional, and municipal elections.

• Neutrality: A key objective was to ensure visual neutrality — reinforcing trust in the system by avoiding political or ideological associations in design.

This project stands as a strong example of how design can improve democratic processes and create a more transparent and user-friendly society.