When voters visit an election office website, they're usually looking for something specific: their polling place, registration deadlines, how to request an absentee ballot. But even when that information exists on a website, it's not always easy to find.
The City of Milwaukee Election Commission knew this challenge well. Their website contained comprehensive election information, everything voters needed was there. But there was a problem behind the scenes: making changes to the site was a trial-and-error process that took hours of limited staff time.
Built on the citywide CMS platform, the election website was managed by just two IT employees who supported all city departments. No one on the Election Commission staff was familiar enough with the system to efficiently update content. Recent attempts to make changes had resulted in broken links, accidentally deleted pages, and the difficult choice between leaving outdated information up or risking deleting something important.
Over the past few years, USDR has learned that many election offices face similar questions about their websites but aren't sure where to start or don't have the capacity to tackle improvements during busy election cycles. They manage websites that contain all the right information, but struggle with usability issues, outdated content management systems, or limited technical capacity. That's where USDR's website health check service comes in: providing expert support to help offices identify what's working, what's not, and how to make improvements that serve voters better.
The service is straightforward. Our team of volunteer experts reviews an election office's website from three perspectives—usability, plain language and readability, and accessibility. We then deliver clear, prioritized recommendations that staff can act on based on their capacity and timeline.
But more importantly, we work alongside election staff throughout the process. Our volunteers bring expertise, but election officials know their voters, their constraints, and what's realistic for their office.
Working alongside, focused on your capacity building
For Milwaukee, this collaborative approach made all the difference. In fall 2024, with the November election approaching, USDR volunteers conducted a usability evaluation of the election website and worked directly within Milwaukee's CMS to implement a homepage refresh—all within six weeks.
"The USDR team is approachable, thoughtful, and excellent at translating 'IT stuff' into English," Paulina Gutierrez, executive director of The City of Milwaukee Election Commission, said. "They took what felt insurmountable and broke it into manageable pieces."
The results were both immediate and lasting. Voters found it easier to navigate the site and locate critical election information. But perhaps more significantly, Milwaukee's staff gained confidence in managing their own website. On a recent wrap-up call, Gutierrez described the partnership as "life-changing."
The partnership didn't end there. Milwaukee returned to USDR in 2025 for a follow-up content inventory and audit project, allowing their team to improve their search engine optimization and organize over 20 years of election results. It's exactly the kind of ongoing relationship we hope to build—supporting offices as their needs evolve.
Supporting offices of all sizes
Milwaukee is just one example. Since 2020, we've worked with election offices across the country on custom technical projects; from optimizing ballot box placement to building wait time trackers to researching voter authentication alternatives.
Each project is different because each office's challenges and goals are unique. But they all share a common thread: helping election officials do their jobs more effectively so they can focus on serving voters.
Our website health check service is available at no cost where legally allowed, with affordable options for jurisdictions that cannot accept free services. Health checks typically take just 6-8 weeks, and we work around your schedule and election calendar.
Get started
If you're wondering whether voters can easily find what they need on your website—or if you'd like to learn more about this service—we'd love to talk.
Schedule an intake call or visit our custom technical projects page to learn more about how we can support your office.
