U.S. Election Assistance Commission
2020 Elections Summit
Date and Time: Tuesday, January 14, 2020, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Eastern
Location: National Press Club
Livestream is available on www.eac.gov
9:00 – 9:30 a.m. Doors Open / Registration
9:30 – 9:50 a.m. Welcoming Remarks
The chair of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) and two secretaries of state will provide welcoming remarks and set the stage for the day’s discussions.
• Speakers:
o Christy McCormick, EAC Chairwoman
o Hon. Jim Condos, Secretary of State, Vermont
o Hon. Kyle Ardoin, Secretary of State, Louisiana
9:50 – 10:50 a.m. Panel 1: Preparing for High Turnout
This panel will focus on issues faced by election officials as they prepare for expected high turnout in the 2020 elections, including strategies for resource allocation and avoiding long lines at the polls.
• Moderator: Ben Hovland, EAC Vice Chair
• Panelists:
o Hon. Frank LaRose, Secretary of State, Ohio
o Hon. Jocelyn Benson, Secretary of State, Michigan
o Tammy Patrick, Senior Advisor, Elections, Democracy Fund
o Meghan Kelly, State Legislative Affairs Specialist, Federal Voting Assistance Program
10:50 – 11:10 a.m. Break (coffee provided)
11:10 – 11:30 a.m. Remarks
The Election Threats Executive for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence will provide an overview of the threat landscape as it relates to foreign interference in elections and election security, and share information on the intelligence community's efforts to coordinate and respond to these threats.
• Speaker:
o Shelby Pierson, Election Threats Executive, Office of the Director of National Intelligence
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Panel 2: Ensuring Accessibility in Elections
This panel will focus on election officials’ efforts to support voters with access needs in the 2020 elections. Discussion topics will include serving voters with disabilities and those with limited English proficiency, and compliance with accessibility requirements in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Help America Vote Act (HAVA), and Voting Rights Act.
• Moderator: Tom Hicks, EAC Commissioner
• Panelists: o Michelle Bishop, Voting Rights Specialist, National Disability Rights Network
o Barry Stephenson, Chair, Board of Registrars, Jefferson County, Alabama
o Terrica Jennings, Attorney Advisor, ADA Coordinator, District of Columbia Board of Elections
o Patty Hansen, Recorder, Coconino County, Arizona
12:30 – 1:30 p.m. Lunch break (on your own)
1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Panel 3: Securing the 2020 Elections
This panel will focus on the efforts of election officials and their federal partners to secure U.S. election infrastructure in the lead up to the 2020 elections. Discussion topics will include protecting election infrastructure against cybersecurity threats and foreign interference, lessons from the 2018 elections, the use of 2018 and 2020 HAVA funds, and the work of the Election Infrastructure Subsector Government Coordination Council (GCC).
• Moderator: Christy McCormick, EAC Chairwoman, GCC Executive Committee Member
• Panelists: o Geoff Hale, Director, Election Security Initiative, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
o Keith Ingram, Texas Director of Elections, President of the National Association of State Election Directors, GCC Executive Committee Member
o David Stafford, Supervisor of Elections, Escambia County, Florida, GCC Executive Committee Member
o Ron Bushar, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Government Solutions, FireEye
2:30 – 2:50 p.m. Break
2:50 – 3:50 p.m. Panel 4: Overcoming Election Day and Poll Worker Challenges
This panel will focus on issues faced by election officials related to poll workers and other Election Day challenges. Discussion topics will include strategies for poll worker recruitment and training, implementing election policy change at the ground level, deploying electronic poll books and new voting equipment, and supporting poll workers to ensure accessibility in the polling place.
• Moderator: Don Palmer, EAC Commissioner
• Panelists:
o Dean Logan, Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, Los Angeles County, California
o Doris Clark, Recorder, Navajo County, Arizona
o Ron Turner, Supervisor of Elections, Sarasota County, Florida
o Karen A. Yarbrough, Clerk, Cook County, Illinois
o Gary Scott, General Registrar and Director of Elections, Fairfax County, Virginia
3:50 – 4:00 p.m. Closing Remarks
