Election Security, New HAVA Grants, Preparation for 2018 Midterm Elections, Materials for Local Election Officials Will Shape Discussions and Agenda
MIAMI – Members of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission’s (EAC) Standards Board and Board of Advisors will meet at the Hyatt Regency Coral Gables in Miami-Dade County between Wednesday, April 18 and Tuesday, April 24, 2018. The meetings, which will be preceded by a public forum on election security ahead of the 2018 midterm elections, will include a review of the next generation of Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG), a panel on Elections & Disaster Recovery, and presentations from officials from the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice and others.
The meetings come only a few weeks after the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 provided $380 million in new Help America Vote Act (HAVA) Election Security Funds, and just over six months before the 2018 midterm elections. Discussions at the meetings will focus on contingency planning, resources for election officials, voting system standards, managing or replacing aging voting equipment, and the intent and application process for the 2018 HAVA Election Security Funds, the first new appropriations for HAVA grants since FY2010.
The agenda for the Standards Board meeting can be found at this link. The agenda for the Board of Advisors can be found at this link. Members of the media and other attendees are advised to consult the agendas as both events approach, as speakers and panels may be added.
The EAC Standards Board was established by the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) and is comprised of 110 state and local election leaders representing each state and U.S. territory. Among its members are 55 state election officials selected by their respective chief state election official, and 55 local election officials selected through a process supervised by the chief state election official. HAVA prohibits any two members representing the same state to be members of the same political party.
The EAC Board of Advisors was established by the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) and is comprised of 35 members who assist the EAC in carrying out its mandates under the law. Among its members are the following groups, as specified by HAVA (two members appointed by each): National Governors Association; National Conference of State Legislatures; National Association of Secretaries of State; National Association of State Election Directors; National Association of Counties; International Association of Government Officials (created from the merger of the National Association of County Recorders, Election Officials and Clerks and the International Association of Clerks, Recorders, Election Officials and Treasurers); U.S. Conference of Mayors; Election Center; U.S. Commission on Civil Rights; and Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board. Other members include representatives from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Public Integrity, and the Civil Rights Division; the director of the U.S. Department of Defense Federal Voting Assistance Program; four professionals from the field of science and technology, one each appointed by the Speaker and the Minority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, and the Majority and Minority leaders of the U.S. Senate; and eight members representing voter interests, with the chairs and the ranking minority members of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on House Administration and the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration each appointing two members.
These two boards, in addition to the EAC’s Technical Guidelines Development Committee, are federally mandated boards that assist the EAC with the development of the VVSG and best practices in election administration. The boards are instrumental to the commission’s ability to fulfill its mission.
All events are open to the public and members of the press. Space is limited however, so reporters wishing to attend are asked to reserve their spot by contacting Brenda Bowser Soder at [email protected] or 202-897-9285. Soder will also coordinate all interview requests.
WHAT: EAC Standards Board and Board of Advisors Meetings
WHO & Election Security Public Forum – Wednesday, April 18, 2018
WHEN: Standards Board – Thursday, April 19, 2018 - Friday, April 20, 2018
Board of Advisors – Monday, April 23, 2018 - Tuesday, April 24, 2018
WHERE: Hyatt Regency Coral Gables
50 Alhambra Plaza, Coral Gables, Florida
RSVP: Contact Brenda Bowser Soder at [email protected].
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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.