To order, see ballot boxes. Whether it is a formal vote, a prize draw or a suggestion box, the design questions are the same four: the slot, the closure, the stability and the print.
The slot
Everything starts here. People fold their paper, and the fold decides the slot. A US letter sheet folded in half measures 5.5 x 8.5 inches, and folded in quarters measures 4.25 x 5.5 inches. An A4 sheet folded in half measures about 148 x 210 mm. Your slot has to clear the widest folded dimension with enough margin that a slightly crumpled entry still drops through without being forced. Too tight and people give up or push entries in sideways, which jams the slot. Too wide and a hand fits through it, which defeats the point on a formal ballot.
The closure
| Element | Options | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Base | Auto bottom, glued base, or tab lock | A taped base is the weakest point on a filled box |
| Lid | Removable lid, hinged flap, or fully sealed top | Decide whether it is opened once at the count or emptied repeatedly |
| Tamper evidence | Seal labels, a tear strip, or a signed seal across the lid join | Has to be planned into the dieline, not added later |
| Slot cover | A flap that closes and seals the slot after voting | Useful when boxes are transported to a count |
Stability and construction
Ballot boxes stand on tables and get knocked. A footprint wide enough relative to the height keeps the box upright, and corrugated rather than light carton board keeps the walls from flexing when people press down on the lid to post an entry. If boxes are transported full, specify a board grade that will carry the weight of the paper inside without the base bowing, and consider a carry handle cut into the sides, remembering that a hand hole weakens the panel it sits in.
Print and the information on the box
Keep the instruction panel simple and put it where people look, which is next to the slot rather than on the front face. If a box is used for a formal process, the wording on it is set by whoever runs that process, and it is worth having the panel copy approved before plates are made. We print what you supply. For promotional entry boxes, the front face is the advertising surface, so the brand, the prize and the closing date belong there.
Assembly and storage
Most ballot boxes ship flat and are assembled on site, which keeps freight cost down and means whoever sets them up needs a construction that folds up without tape. An auto bottom is the friendliest for a volunteer assembling twenty boxes in a hurry. If boxes are reused across several events, specify a heavier board, because a box that is flattened and rebuilt repeatedly fails at the scores first.
Minimum, price and lead time
The minimum is 100 boxes. Pricing starts from about $0.48 per unit at bulk volumes and is confirmed on your written quote. Turnaround is quoted per product in three lanes: rush, which is expedited production plus air freight, standard on air, and cost saver on sea, from about 7 business days in production plus 2 to 5 days for delivery. Election and event dates are fixed, so quote early enough to use the standard lane. The die, the plates, design support, US shipping and a digital proof are included.
To order, see ballot boxes, or for counter placement counter display boxes. Send your slot requirement and the date the boxes are needed with a quote request.
