A display element (100) corresponds to a pixel of a display. The display element includes a top electrode (102) connected to a first addressable line of the display, and a bottom electrode (104) connected to a second addressable line of the display. The display element includes a display mechanism (106) situated between the top electrode and the bottom electrode and having a number of individually turned-on steps. Each individually turned-on step has a turn-on voltage threshold at which the step is turned on upon a voltage applied between the top and the bottom electrodes equal to or greater than the turn-on voltage threshold. Each individually turned-on step has a turn-off voltage threshold at which the step is turned off upon a voltage applied between the top and the bottom electrodes equal to or less than the turn-off voltage threshold.