Abstract
Democracy around the world is under attack and people are becoming increasingly divided. Academics and think tanks have done great work researching and explaining these dangerous trends, but much of their work lacks visual elements, making it harder to communicate with a broad audience.
This project aims to visualise complicated ideas in ways that are easy to understand. A poster series and digital publication explore the strategies politicians have used to manipulate elections in different African countries. Although the case studies focus on Africa, the patterns and lessons have broader global relevance. A gumball voting activity highlights practical things that people can do to strengthen democracy. This project aims to help people recognise attempts to undermine elections and to encourage a sense of agency—empowering them to act rather than feel powerless.