Image
Benjamin W. Hovland was confirmed by unanimous consent of the U.S. Senate on January 2, 2019, to serve on the EAC. Mr. Hovland currently serves as Chairman of the EAC, a role he also held in 2020. Mr. Hovland currently serves as Chairman of the EAC and the Designated Federal Officer (DFO) for the Technical Guidelines Development Committee (TGDC).
Mr. Hovland’s leadership during an unprecedented time for election administration has helped transform the EAC to better support election officials and voters across the U.S. In 2020, the EAC administered nearly $825 million in federal grant money and strategically pivoted resources to help election officials respond to the pandemic and enhance election security. This included efforts such as the first-ever National Poll Worker Recruitment Day, which led national recruitment efforts to alleviate concerns about a significant shortage in poll workers.
During Commissioner Hovland’s first term as Chairman, the EAC adopted an updated version of the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG). Known as VVSG 2.0, this represents the first major overhaul of the standards in 15 years and a major leap forward for future election systems. Other initiatives under his leadership include innovative programs and platforms designed to facilitate collaboration amongst election officials nationwide.
Mr. Hovland’s career in elections spans over 20 years and includes service as Acting Chief Counsel for
the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, where he was a driving force behind Congress appropriating $380 million in Help America Vote Act (HAVA) funds to enhance election security to the states in 2018. While at the Senate, he focused on the federal government’s role in election administration and campaign finance regulation.
Earlier in his career, as the Deputy General Counsel for the Missouri Secretary of State’s office, he focused on legal issues related to the administration of state and federal elections, including recounts, poll worker training, voter registration list maintenance, statewide database matching, voter education resources, and ballot initiative litigation.