Voting Hubs 2022
delightful spaces to support the student voting experience
We designed two Voting Hubs on the University of Michigan Ann Arbor campus — the University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA) and the Duderstadt Center Gallery — where students could register with the Ann Arbor City Clerk and vote. We designed every aspect of the voter journey to create a positive, smooth experience for students. The Voting Hubs facilitated 3900 registrations and 4600 ballots, significantly contributing to Michigan having the country’s highest youth voter turnout rate of 2022.
North Campus Voting Hub at the Duderstadt Center Gallery (above); Central Campus Voting Hub at the University of Michigan Museum of Art (below)
“It felt like a place where students were invited and meant to be.”
Student Voter
Knowing the importance of first impressions, we trained peer mentors to welcome new voters and provide a friendly orientation.
We used color and conversational wall graphics to create a welcoming, comfortable context for students to sit down with City Clerk’s Office staff as they learn to navigate the process.
Working with local elections officials and the Michigan Secretary of State, we adapted the official MI registration form with color, clear visual design and a conversational tone for instructions.
We weave friendly tips and clear, concise information into the experience, delivering key content when it becomes most relevant.
This dropbox sign, designed In conversation with local officials, gave students clear steps to check that they were completing the voting process correctly. This strategically placed guidance significantly reduced the number of spoiled ballots.
We designed a vibrant button mural as a photo opp for students to celebrate their accomplishment!
At the Duderstadt gallery, we also created a playful, large-scale installation that invited students to ‘walk through’ a ballot and learn how to connect their vote to the issues they care about.
GALLERY
The Creative Campus Voting Project is a non-partisan initiative based at the University of Michigan Stamps School of Art & Design, led by co-founders Associate Professors Stephanie Rowden and Hannah Smotrich. They work in close coordination with the Ann Arbor City Clerk and their UMICH Votes Coalition partners: Turn Up Turnout, U-M Democracy & Debate, Ginsberg Center, U-M Office of Government Relations, University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA), and the Duderstadt Gallery.
Our 2022 Voting Hubs were generously supported by U-M Office of the Provost, U-M Democracy and Debate Initiative, and U-M Stamps School of Art & Design. All costs associated with the operation of the Ann Arbor City Clerk’s Satellite Office were generously provided by the City of Ann Arbor.
Photos by Eric Bronson (Michigan Photography), Mark Gjukich, and Stephanie Rowden