Did you know you can sign up for no-cost election specific cyber security training from Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL) today? Please visit the CTCL website for training.
Established by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, National Poll Worker Recruitment Day is set for September 1st.
September 1, is a day of action with the goal of encouraging potential poll workers to sign up on the Help America Vote website to help out in the 2020 election. We would love to have you support our efforts to assist. Our support form can be found here. If you require updated jurisdiction information in our poll worker tool, please email us at [email protected].
The U.S. Election Assistance Commission is committed to assisting election officials administer safe elections during the coronavirus pandemic. We have been working with federal partners, state and local election officials, and other experts and stakeholders to compile COVID-19 election preparedness resources for election officials to utilize during this time.
ONLINE RESOURCES
The EAC has been creating, curating, and updating resources for election officials to use during the coronavirus pandemic. These resources, available since mid-March, are updated regularly: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources page
IN-PERSON VOTING RESOURCES
The EAC has complied resources to assist election officials in administering safe in person voting practices during the coronavirus pandemic:
CDC Considerations for Election Polling Locations and Voters (cobranded with the CDC)
Manufacturer Cleaning Guidance for Election Equipment
EAC/DC Board of Elections In-Person Voting Guidelines Video
ABSENTEE & VOTE BY MAIL RESOURCES
The EAC has complied resources to assist election officials in preparing for increased absentee voting and vote by mail because of the coronavirus pandemic. Resources on the absentee and vote by mail page also includes USPS resources, FVAP resources, and state and local resources: Voting by Mail/Absentee Voting Page
GCC AND SCC RESOURCES
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Elections Infrastructure Government Coordinating Council (GCC) and Sector Coordinating Council (SCC) Joint COVID Working Group created the following resources regarding how to administer elections and secure election infrastructure during the coronavirus pandemic. Below are in-person voting resources and absentee and mail voting resources.
IN-PERSON VOTING GCC & SCC RESOURCES
Links to the following resources can be found here on the EAC website:
Finding Voting Locations and Poll Workers
Considerations for Modifying the Scale of In-Person Voting
Health and Safety at the Polling Place
Safeguarding Staff and Work Environment from COVID-19
EAC COMMISSIONER VIDEO SERIES
As a response to the coronavirus pandemic, EAC Commissioners have produced a video series with state and local election officials, federal partners, advocates, and other stakeholders in an effort to provide election administrators with additional resources and a platform to discuss election administration during the coronavirus pandemic.
ABSENTEE & VOTE BY MAIL GCC & SCC RESOURCES
The following documents, which can be found here provide guidance for state, local, tribal, and territorial election officials on how to administer and secure election infrastructure in light of the COVID-19 epidemic:
The Importance of Accurate Voter Data When Expanding Absentee or Mail Ballot Voting
Election Education and Outreach for Increased Absentee or Mail Voting
Electronic Ballot Delivery and Marking
Helping Voters Request a Mail-in Ballot
Managing an Increase in Outbound Ballots
Signature Verification and Cure Process
Vote by Mail/Absentee Voting Timeline
INCREASED VOTE BY MAIL
Handling Increased Absentee and Mail Voting at the County Level
Handling Absentee Ballot Requests for Increased Voting by Mail
Emergency Election Laws and COVID-19
COVID-19 HEARINGS
In addition to the EAC Commissioner led video series, the EAC has also held two COVID-19 specific hearings with election officials, advocates, and federal partners to discuss election administration during the pandemic and lessons that election officials learned during the 2020 Primary Elections:
Hearing 1: Election Response to COVID-19: Administering Elections during the Coronavirus Crisis
Hearing 2: Lessons Learned from the 2020 Primary Elections
UTILIZING THE NATIONAL GUARD FOR ELECTIONS
GRANTS & FUNDING
On March 27, 2020, President Donald J. Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) into law. The Act includes $400 million in new Help America Vote Act (HAVA) emergency funds, made available to states to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus pandemic for the 2020 federal election cycle. The EAC has offered guidance to the states on how these funds can be used and have updated reports and other information on the following pages:
Guidance on HAVA Funds for Expenses Related to COVID-19
CARES Act Grant Funding
CARES Act Funding Webinar on April 9, 2020
The CARES Act of 2020: Meeting the Match
Interview 1: Considerations for CARES Act Grant Funding Use (Alabama and Florida)
Interview 2: Consideration for CARES Act Grant Funding Use for elections in this COVID environment (Pennsylvania and Kentucky)
Interview 3: Considerations for CARES Act Grant Funding Use at the Local Level (Missouri and Iowa)
Interview 4: Considerations for CARES Act Funding (Louisiana and Connecticut)
ACCESSIBILITY FOR VOTERS WITH DISABILITIES
Roundtable to Assist Voters with Disabilities and Election Officials – Roundtable 1
Roundtable to Assist Voters with Disabilities and Election Officials – Roundtable 2
ELECTION ADMINISTRATION AND VOTING SURVEY (EAVS)
The EAC publishes biennial Election Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS) Comprehensive Reports, which feature key election administration data findings from all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. The EAVS will open up soon for U.S. states and territories. On August 10, 2020, the EAC released an updated policy guide for EAVS detailing the process and timeline for state data submissions as well as other important information.
ELECTION SECURITY PREPAREDNESS
As a part of the EAC’s clearinghouse functions, the EAC Election Security Preparedness page provides election officials with a myriad of resources related to election and cyber security. Subcategories include:
Securing non-voting election technology
Using your procurement process to improve security
A closer look at remote voting
Preparing and responding to cybersecurity incidents
Cybersecurity training resources
Information on conducting election audits
THE CYBER ACCESS & SECURITY PROGRAM
The Cyber Access and Security Program was launched to provide access to security training, best practices, expertise, and other assistance for election officials tasked with protecting critical election infrastructure. The program collaborates with public and private security experts to ensure that election officials have the most up-to-date and best in class information available through the EAC’s Clearinghouse. In partnership with the Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL), the program offers Cybersecurity Training for Election Officials is a no-cost online cybersecurity training for all election officials and elections related staff. This training focuses on election cybersecurity and is delivered in three courses: Cybersecurity 101, 201, and 301. Risk Management and Crisis Management online workshops will be coming in August 2020.