In this month’s EAC newsletter, we’re excited to feature:
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The EAC’s Announces Appointment of New Executive Director
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FY22 Annual Report Highlights
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EAC Honors Black History Month
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New blog posts and videos from EAC Commissioners Donald Palmer and Ben Hovland
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Upcoming EAC Events:
- Feb. 8: EAC Public Roundtable Discussion on Poll Workers
- Feb. 21: Local Leadership Council Bylaws Meeting
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Reminder to submit Clearies applications by Feb. 28
The EAC Announces the Appointment of its New Executive Director!
Long-time public servant Steven Frid is the new Executive Director of the EAC. Mr. Frid, who started his role at the end of January, replaced Mark A. Robbins, who served as Interim Executive Director since February 8, 2022.
Mr. Frid has dedicated his career to collecting and analyzing data about risks to federal employees, facilities, information, and operations within the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Department of Education. His passion for leading teams and helping others is evidenced by his volunteer service as an elected member on education committees, athletic associations, and non-profit organizations. The EAC is excited to have him on board as we prepare for the 2024 elections. The agency would like to thank Mr. Robbins for his service to the agency and for filling this role over the last year. More information on Mr. Frid’s background in available in the EAC’s press release announcing his appointment.
FY 2022 Annual Report Highlights
The EAC’s FY 2022 annual report features the wide range of work of the EAC Commissioners and staff – from new programs and events to Clearinghouse products and financial reporting.
Highlights from the report include:
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The implementation of the Voluntary Voter System Guidelines (VVSG) 2.0 continued throughout 2022 with the unanimous approval by the EAC Commissioners of the new VVSG Lifecycle Policy.
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The creation of the Election Supporting Technology Evaluation Program (ESTEP) to evaluate the security and accessibility of election supporting technologies such as e-poll books, electronic ballot delivery, election night reporting systems, and voter portals.
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The distribution of $75 million in HAVA election security grants and ongoing guidance and auditing of grant funds.
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The release of the Disability, the Voting Process, and the Digital Divide report—The EAC and Rutgers University conducted a national survey that illuminated the longstanding and critical consequences of the digital divide between people with and without disabilities. This report complements other EAC resources on accessibility released this year.
Read the full report on the EAC’s website.
EAC Honors Black History Month
EAC Chairman Thomas Hicks, Vice Chair Christy McCormick, Commissioner Ben Hovland, and Commissioner Donald Palmer issued a joint statement recognizing Black History Month. The following is an excerpt:
“Black History Month is a powerful reminder of the civil rights and freedoms Black Americans have fought for, including the pivotal right to vote. Starting with the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the Constitution to the 1965 Voting Rights Act, our country has made significant strides toward achieving equal protection under the law and realizing the unabridged right to vote. Central to the EAC and the Help America Vote Act is the ideal that every American should be able to vote privately and independently. We remain committed to working on the issues not yet realized to ensure that all eligible Americans have full and equal access to the voting booth and confidence in the fairness of the voting process.”
Read the complete statement on the EAC's blog.
Stakeholder Engagement
“Best Practices for ‘I Voted’ Sticker Contests” Video Panel
Commissioner Ben Hovland hosted a virtual panel on best practices for “I Voted” sticker contests, with Jackie Beaudry, city clerk for Ann Arbor, Michigan; Erin Perrone, Deputy Director for the Carroll County Board of Elections, Maryland; and Commissioner Ashley Torres, from the Ulster County Board of Elections, New York.
The panel discussed the importance of “I Voted” stickers, how contests can engage the community in other aspects of the election process, and considerations for other offices who may offer similar contests in their jurisdictions. Watch the video here and read the blog here.
Southern California Election Offices Are Ready to Serve Voters in 2023 and 2024
Commissioner Donald Palmer visited four county election offices and spoke to several officials in Southern California. This included Dean Logan, the Clerk/Recorder & Registrar of Voters in Los Angeles County, Bob Page, the Registrar of Voters in Orange County, Rebecca Spencer, the Riverside County Registrar of Voters, and Stephenie Shea, the San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters, to see how they serve voters and their operations for upcoming elections. He also toured the Voting Systems for All People (VSAP) facility in LA County.
“As I continue to visit election offices in the future, both large and small, it reinforces my commitment to ensure the needs of all elections officials are heard, and that the EAC is responsive to the wide variety of stakeholders.” - Commissioner Palmer
Read about the work these counties are doing to serve the millions of voters in this area of the state and the offices’ operations for upcoming elections.
SAVE THE DATE!
Attend the EAC’s Public Roundtable Discussion on Feb. 8, 2023
On February 8, 2023, please join the EAC for a public roundtable discussion in the Agency’s hearing room from 1 to 3 p.m. E.T. This discussion will focus on poll worker recruitment, training, and programs. This event will be held in person at 633 3rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20001, and will also be live streamed on the EAC's YouTube Channel.
Register to attend this event in person and learn more on the event’s webpage.
Attend the Federal Election Commission’s panel for Black History Month on Feb. 21, 2023
On February 21, 2023, from 12 to 1 p.m. E.T., EAC Chairman Thomas Hicks will converse with FEC Commissioner Shana Broussard and election experts for the panel “On Account of Race, Color, or Previous Condition of Servitude: Black History and Democracy’s Future.” The topics to be covered include multiracial democracy, candidate diversity, barriers to voting, and more. This event is in-person and will be live-streamed. Register to attend and learn more on the FEC’s event page.
Join the EAC’s Virtual LLC Bylaws Meeting on Feb. 21, 2023
The EAC’s Local Leadership Council (LLC) will host a virtual meeting on February 21, 2023, that will be live streamed from 1 to 2:30 p.m. E.T. on the EAC’s YouTube Channel. During the meeting, the EAC’s LLC members will consider the adoption of the initial committee Bylaws and discuss the organizational structure. Registration is not required. Learn more on the LLC meeting event page.
Clearinghouse Awards 2022 Submission Deadline
The EAC submission period for the 2022 National Clearinghouse Awards competition, also known as “the Clearies,” is now open and the deadline for submitting all materials is February 28!
Jurisdictions of all sizes are encouraged to submit their work. The entries will be judged based on innovation, sustainability, outreach, cost-effectiveness, replicability, and the generation of positive results. More information on the 2021 Clearies winners can be found here.
Please send any questions to [email protected].
TGDC Meeting Recap
The EAC’s Technical Guidelines Development Committee (TGDC) held its annual meeting on January 26, 2023. This meeting was held virtually and live streamed on the EAC's YouTube Channel.
The topics discussed included the status of the Voluntary Electronic Poll Book Pilot Program, updates on the EAC’s Testing and Certification program and NIST’s Voting Program, and feedback from the October 2022 Path to End-to-End (E2E) Protocols for Voting Systems workshop.
A recording is available and information and the presentations from the meeting are available on the TGDC meeting event page.