Show HN: Show Me The Ballot – Compare election complexity across US counties
show-me-the-ballot.glitch.me
Show HN: Show Me The Ballot – Compare election complexity across US counties
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Re: Show HN: Show Me The Ballot – Compare election complexity across US counties
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Re: Show HN: Show Me The Ballot – Compare election complexity across US counties
#3I created Show Me The Ballot (https://show-me-the-ballot.glitch.me) to help voters preview and understand what will be on their ballot before heading to the polls. The project recently won second prize at Columbia University's Media Party Hackathon (https://www.linkedin.com/posts/edbltn_hackathon-mediaparty-a...)
Key features:
- District maps and ballot previews based on your zip code (for easy lookups — no address required)
- Simple, mobile-friendly interface with responsive search
- Complexity reports evaluating your ballot’s readability, length, and cognitive load
Technical details:
- Dynamic data loading via GitHub Pages
- Interactive maps generated with Python's Folium library
- Code and analysis: https://github.com/mfhan/showballot
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I built this because I noticed how overwhelming ballots can be, especially in places with many local elections and initiatives. The tool helps voters prepare better.
Looking for feedback on:
- User experience and accessibility
- Additional features that would be useful
- Analysis suggestions (break down ballot complexity relative to local literacy rates, voter power, demographics, …)
Try these examples to see the range of ballot complexity:
- https://show-me-the-ballot.glitch.me/?q=Harris%20County,%20T... (most complex)
- https://show-me-the-ballot.glitch.me/?q=Los%20Angeles%20Coun...
- https://show-me-the-ballot.glitch.me/?q=Cheshire%20County,%2... (simpler)