Field Leadership Support Network: Supporting the Resilience of Community Teams to Deliver
Elections in Ontario

Context
In 2024, the DSI team at Elections Ontario set out to design a new support service for community election workers.

Challenge
Feedback gathered in recent elections had revealed key challenges in the existing support model, such as unresolved issues, outdated tools and training, and key information buried in hard-to-search platforms. These challenges weren’t just frustrating—they risked delaying decisions and impacting voter experiences at the polls.

Target Audience
The new service would support the teams responsible for delivering elections on the ground in their local communities.

Objectives
DSI set out to develop a new support service that would enable open access to information and expertise, build trust between Elections Ontario and community election workers, and provide a personalized approach grounded in empathy for the unique needs and challenges in different communities.

Overview of process
The DSI team undertook a four-phase, human-centered service design approach. This project unfolded over 9 months, across 4 design phases:

• Discovery: Gathering insights through research, stakeholder engagement, and data analysis to understand the current state and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Define: Synthesizing findings to uncover root causes of existing challenges and clarify the problem we aimed to solve.
• Develop: Co-designing and testing solutions, engaging service users and internal teams to shape new processes, tools, and training.
• Deliver: Bringing the model to life through hands-on training, simulations, leading to the successful launch of the new service in support of the 2025 election.

Outcomes
Elections Ontario launched the Field Leadership Support Network (FLSN), a pilot service designed to build trust and improve support to the field. The FLSN paired community election leaders with experienced EO staff who acted as Connectors to internal experts, Translators of complex policies, and Coaches offering one-on-one guidance to help solve real-time challenges in the field.

Impact
FLSN transformed the support experience for community election workers—replacing escalation with empathy, and isolation with connection. This service enabled proactive support, while strengthening institutional knowledge by equipping Elections Ontario staff with a deeper understanding of community needs. On the ground, FLSN earned a 90% satisfaction rate from community elections workers—25%
higher than the previous system—with 85% reporting improved support. By fostering trust, clarity, and
confidence, FLSN enhanced internal operations and contributed to smoother election-day delivery.