A "ballot having more than one column listing ballot choices that share a common column for designating those choices." N.C. Gen. Stat. §163-165.4B. A "ballot where two ballot pages are used side by side and where voters must vote on candidates or issues on both sides of the pages." Mo. Rev. Stat. §115-420.2 The butterfly ballot is illegal in some states, e.g. Missouri and North Carolina. Missouri has created an exception for unusually lengthy ballots. Even though punched card systems are no longer used, poor ballot setup can result in a butterfly DRE ballot. The most famous butterfly ballot in history was that used in Palm Beach County, Florida in the U.S. Presidential race in 2000, in which the ballot layout led voters who intended to vote for Al Gore to vote for Pat Buchanan instead.
What is a butterfly ballot?
A butterfly ballot is a ballot layout that places candidate names on facing columns with selection positions running down the center, visually resembling butterfly wings. The design became widely known after the 2000 U.S. presidential election in Palm Beach County because voters reported confusion about which punch position corresponded to which candidate.
Why can butterfly ballots confuse voters?
Butterfly ballots can confuse voters when the visual order of candidate names does not map intuitively to the sequence of voting targets. Alternating names across two columns while targets run down the middle increases the need for careful visual tracking. Poor alignment, typography, instructions, or spacing can further raise the risk of unintended selections.
What did the butterfly-ballot controversy show about ballot design?
The butterfly-ballot controversy showed that ballot usability can affect voter intent even when equipment operates as designed. Election design therefore considers clear mapping between choices and targets, readable typography, logical ordering, accessibility, and usability testing. A technically valid ballot can still create election-administration problems if voters cannot easily understand how to mark it.
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A "ballot having more than one column listing ballot choices that share a common column for designating those choices." N.C. Gen. Stat. §163-165.4B. A "ballot where two ballot pages are used side by side and where voters must vote on candidates or issues on both sides of the pages." Mo. Rev. Stat. §115-420.2 The butterfly ballot is illegal in some states, e.g. Missouri and North Carolina. Missouri has created an exception for unusually lengthy ballots. Even though punched card systems are no longer used, poor ballot setup can result in a butterfly DRE ballot. The most famous butterfly ballot in history was that used in Palm Beach County, Florida in the U.S. Presidential race in 2000, in which the ballot layout led voters who intended to vote for Al Gore to vote for Pat Buchanan instead.
Cite this term
Election Security Glossary. (2026). Butterfly Ballot. In Election Security Glossary. Retrieved August 20, 2026, from https://electionsecurityglossary.com/glossary/butterfly-ballot
Sources
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High consensus
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Disputed
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