Standards Boards, Board of Advisors Elect Officers and Consider VVSG 2.0
Silver Spring, Md. – Members of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission’s Standards Board and Board of Advisors reviewed the next generation of Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG), discussed the intent and application process for newly appropriated HAVA funding, examined election security efforts, and tackled other timely election-related issues, such as disaster recovery contingency planning, during recent meetings from April 19-24 in Miami. During their respective meetings, board members also elected new executive board leaders and swore in newly appointed members.
The meetings were preceded by a public forum on election security ahead of the 2018 midterm elections and took place only a few weeks after the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 provided $380 million in new Help America Vote Act (HAVA) Funds, the first new appropriations for HAVA grants since FY2010. Ahead of their meeting, some Standards Board members also visited the Miami-Dade Emergency Operations Center, where they were briefed on disaster preparedness strategies.
Highlights from the Standards Board (April 19-20) and Board of Advisors (April 23-24) meetings include the following:
New HAVA Funds: Members from both boards received a briefing about the intent and application process for the $380 million in newly appropriated HAVA funds. The EAC is currently receiving requests from states wishing to draw down funds and is working to ensure the funds are available to assist states ahead of the 2018 election. Click here for more information about the funds.
Election Security: During their meetings, board members heard from a variety of experts focused on election security efforts. Among the speakers were David Wulf, Acting Deputy Assistance Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of Infrastructure Protection, and Robert Kolasky, Acting Deputy Undersecretary for National Protection Directorate at DHS. In addition, state election leaders discussed state and local efforts to strengthen election security, including:
- Robert Giles, New Jersey Division of Elections Director
- Ricky Hatch, Clerk/Auditor for Weber County, Utah
- Sarah Ball Johnson, City Clerk for Colorado Springs, Colo.
- Neal Kelley, Registrar of Voters for Orange County, Calif,
- Mark Goins, Tennessee Coordinator of Elections
VVSG: During consideration of the next generation of Voluntary Voting System Guidelines, VVSG 2.0, both the Standards Board and Board of Advisors passed resolutions recommending that the EAC move forward with the process of considering the draft VVSG 2.0 Principles and Guidelines document for full adoption. Both boards passed an amendment to the resolution recommending that the EAC adopt, within the Testing and Certification Program Quality & Program Manual, a provision providing for the ability of VVSG 2.0 requirements and Test Assertions to be updated in the absence of a quorum of EAC Commissioners.
Additional information about the Standards Board meeting is available here. Additional information about the Board of Advisors meeting is available here.
Newly Elected Officers: The Standards Board elected new leadership for the coming year:
- Chair Greg Riddlemoser, Director of Elections and General Registrar for Stafford County, Va.,
- Vice Chair Sally Williams, Director of the Michigan Bureau of Elections, and
- Secretary Rey Valenzuela, Director of Elections for Maricopa County, Ariz.
The Board of Advisors also elected new leadership:
- Chair Michael Winn, Director of Elections for Travis County, Tx.,
- Vice Chair Michael Yaki, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and
- Secretary Gary Poser, Director of Elections, Minnesota Office of the Secretary of State
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.
For more information, 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.