My comments concern the readability of the form. Ten percent of adults, even with corrective measures, have difficulty reading the printed word. So we must make the form readable to minimize mistakes, and ensure that the form does not look too daunting.

Enlarge the size of the type throughout.

Use Verdana or Helvetica for ease of reading

Do away with unnecessary italics and parens of further explanations

Avoid columns (hard to visually track)

All caps in the WARNING statement of the instructions too difficult to read, Sentence case better.

No light blue background. Makes it harder to read. Black on white is best

Is the top area about the basicvoter registration requirements before the real form necessary? Use the basic Instructions to cover these topics. Lessen the complexity of the age requirement and put it in the Instructions too.

Why include the contrapositive of the instruction about the need to complete everything with asterisks at the very top of the form? Unnecessary. The first sentence is sufficient.

Section 1:

1. Isn’t Sex the preferred term here instead of Gender?
2. Handle the exception about not having a SSN in the Instructions—whatever they may be. Too much space awarded to this exception. Everybody has to read this for the single person who it relates to?
3. Enlarge MM DD YYYY to fill boxes, screened back. They are now too small. People will write over the screened letters. Other cultures write dates DD MM YYYY.

Section 2:

1. Other cultures do not always understand the term “Last name”. Males and females from same family might put different names in this spot. How about “Last name/Family name”? This needs to be vetted.
2. “I am required or authorized to provide my mailing address.” ?? Doesn’t this apply to everyone? Just confuses the form.

Section 4:

1. Why does this area of the form exist at all?  The primary purpose of this form is to register voters. It should not provide for other service in my opinion.  Remove it so that it does not constitute another column, which adds to the complexity and “unreadability” of the form. Questions should be listed vertically only, no separate columns if possible..
2. Second area of section 4: doesn’t this apply to the address area? Why separate? Why necessary? (I am unfamiliar with this topic.)

Section 5:

1. Felony and mental incapacity yes/no boxes should follow the question directly, not form a separate column. Hard to visually track as to which yes/no box to check.

Section 6:

1. The words NO and YES don’t seem to follow the structure of the form. Instead:

/  /  I am not (underlined, not bold) registered in any other state. Skip to next section.

/  /  I am registered with aother name, or at another address (underlined, not bold) in Virginia, or in another state with details below. I authorize cancellation of this previous registration.

1. Include a name field as well, as people use this area to update the registration for name changes.
2. Where is the SSN?

Section 7:

1. Check box that you have physical disabilities comes out of left field. And that you agree with the affirmation statement? What do physical disabilities have to do with any of thi?. Do all people with physical disabilities have to answer this question? Do you instead mean “If you are unable to sign this form….”?? As it is written, it’s an affront to people with physical disabilities. It’s none of anybody’s business
2. “Today’s Date” would be better placed in large letters underneathe the related boxes.
3. Explanation for other signature confirming the “Mark” way too small, long.

Thank you for this opportunity to comment on the form.

Janice Yohai