Farveafstemning

Farveafstemning is a Danish term that literally translates to color voting. In electoral and political contexts it refers to methods and practices in which ballots, vote cards, or voting interfaces use color-coding to represent options, candidates, or groups, rather than relying solely on text or position on the ballot. The approach can appear in paper ballots where each candidate or list is associated with a distinct color, or in referendums and digital voting interfaces where yes/no or support/oppose are shown with color cues. In tallying, color can aid observers and registrars in tracking results by category.

Implementation and design considerations include choosing color palettes with adequate contrast, providing accompanying textual labels, and ensuring accessibility for color-blind voters. Proponents argue that color-coding can improve speed, reduce marking errors, and facilitate quick visual interpretation of results. Critics warn that reliance on color may marginalize color-blind voters, create unintended biases due to cultural associations with certain colors, and complicate multilingual ballots. In many jurisdictions, color usage is governed by election laws and ballot design standards to maintain neutrality and clarity.

Because the term is not universally standardized, its exact meaning can vary by country or context. It is sometimes used in discussions of ballot design, voting technology, and accessibility in elections. See also ballot design, election accessibility, color-coding in ballots.