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States and Territories eligible to receive funding for election security-related upgrades
Silver Spring, Md. – The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) has announced the availability of $380 million in 2018 HAVA Election Security Fund grants contained in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018. The grants, authorized under Title I Section 101 of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002, will support election activities to improve the administration of elections for Federal office, including to enhance election technology and make election security improvements. This legislation marks the first new appropriations for HAVA grants since FY2010.
“This much-needed funding will provide states with essential resources to secure and improve election systems,” said EAC Chairman Thomas Hicks. “The EAC is committed to making these funds available as soon as feasibly possible, and we fully expect this money will be deployed in meaningful ways to support the 2018 elections. This is exactly the kind of EAC support Congress had in mind when it established our commission in 2002 and we are proud to continue this important work.”
To determine the amount of grant funding available for each state and territory, the EAC uses a voting age population formula described in Section 101 of HAVA. A payment chart showing how much each state and territory can receive as a result of this funding can be found at www.eac.gov/2018funding.
The EAC is releasing this money quickly so that the grants can have an immediate impact, even utilized possibly in the 2018 election cycle. The EAC can answer specific questions about how the money can be utilized and additional information in contained in this Frequently Asked Questions document, which will be updated as needed.
States will receive grant award notification letters in early April. The letter will allow states to incur costs, with prior EAC approval, against the forthcoming grant awards effective the date of the notification letter. Funds will be able available for states to draw down and deposit in their state election accounts when they return signed grant documents and the required certifications and assurances, making it feasible for jurisdictions to immediately begin system upgrades to enhance election security ahead of the 2018 Federal Election.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 requires that states match 5 percent of the federal funds. The matching funds must be made available within two years of the start of the grant award. To meet match obligations, states may either deposit matching funds in their state election accounts or track eligible funds and activities from their state and local general operating budgets. States with remaining HAVA funds from prior appropriations should track and report on those expenses separately from this new award.
To learn more about the 2018 HAVA Election Security Funds, please click here. For additional information or to request an interview, please contact Brenda Bowser Soder at [email protected] or 202-897-9285.
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The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) was established by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA). It is an independent, bipartisan commission charged with ensuring secure, accurate and accessible elections by developing guidance to meet HAVA requirements, adopting voluntary voting system guidelines, and serving as a national clearinghouse of information on election administration. EAC also accredits testing laboratories and certifies voting systems, as well as administers the use of HAVA funds. For more information, visit www.eac.gov.