Assessing the Usability of the Hart InterCivic eSlate During the 2016 Presidential Election

Abstract

For the first time, the system usability of the eSlate–one of the most ubiquitous electronic voting machines used in US elections–was assessed in the field on election day 2016 using ISO 9241-11 metrics. Effectiveness and satisfaction measures were collected immediately after voters used the eSlate to vote at their assigned polling location. The findings showed that the perceived usability of the system in the polling station was judged to be quite good, despite previous research that indicated usability difficulties with the voting system. It is hypothesized that voters were making retrospective assessments of not just the eSlate, but also the supporting systems and environment in which they used it on election day. In particular, voters were likely taking into account their entire experience—including the help of poll workers and circumstances like short lines—versus just their experience with the machine itself. Practitioners and researchers should be aware that a system might not be completely usable but still be subjectively rated as usable due in part to other supporting systems and environmental variables.