For Immediate Release
November 9, 2021
New Release is Latest in Expanded Library of Resources for Election Officials
Washington D.C. - On Friday, The U.S. Election Assistance Commission released its latest election administration resource, “Election Audits Across the United States.” Not only is this guide timely following last week’s elections across the country, but is a central reference for election officials and the public to understand election audits including what kinds of audits are being conducted, timing, and critical requirements including sample size and laws that dictate processes.
In a joint statement, the EAC Commissioners said, “Post-election audits have drawn an increasing amount of attention over the last year. Audits are an important part of the election process to ensure accuracy, while potentially identifying and resolving discrepancies. We have confidence in the state and local election officials who have implemented and managed these audits for years, following specific procedures outlined in their state laws. We hope this guide will serve as a needed reference point for officials, legislators, and the public as post-election audits are conducted after the 2021 elections and moving forward.”
Since its inception with the Help America Vote Act of 2002, U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) has been charged with being a clearinghouse for election administration information. In 2021, the EAC has rapidly expanded its library of materials, research, and resources for election officials.
To further improve how the agency fulfills the clearinghouse mandate, a new division was formed in 2021 to build on subject matter expertise for the development of best practices and guidance to EAC stakeholders including election officials at the state and local levels. Consisting of former election officials and experts on election law, accessibility, and design, the Clearinghouse Division has led the creation of additional timely guidance documents to address pressing issues in election administration.
“The EAC listens to feedback from election officials, considers the evolving nature of our elections and threat landscape, and anticipates needed resources and information as well as rapid response. State and local election officials are the experts in administering elections in their communities, but as the nation’s only federal agency solely focused on election administration, the EAC can compile information, highlight best practices, and facilitate idea-sharing, to help them continue to improve our electoral system,” the EAC Commissioners added.
“As elections, technology, and the needs of election officials continue to shift and grow, so will the materials the EAC produces. It is our hope, that as a trusted federal partner, the EAC can continue the ongoing improvement of our electoral system and the service provided to the American voters,” the EAC Commissioners concluded.
The EAC has also developed the following materials and is in the process of updating and creating more to assist officials as they prepare for future elections.
Best Practices: FAQs - This toolkit is designed to assist election officials in creating (or improving) FAQs for their websites and provides social media guides with ideas on how to promote their FAQs as a trusted source of information.
EAC's Testing and Certification Program - This document is a Testing and Certification 101 overview of the program in place to test and certify voting equipment.
Local Election Officials' Guide to Redistricting - This guide helps election officials prepare for and implement redistricting requirements and changes in their jurisdictions given the recent release of the 2020 Census.
Chain of Custody Best Practices - This report outlines items election officials should consider when developing or revising their chain of custody procedures for physical election materials, voting systems, and the use of third-party auditors for conducting audits and electronic discovery.
Best Practices: Accessible Voter Registration - This guide highlights barriers to accessibility in the voter registration process and provides best practices to help ensure voters with disabilities have equal access to this crucial first step of the voting experience.
The EAC is also working to provide additional translated materials and products like the National Mail Voter Registration Form (already translated into 15 languages) and Glossary of Election Terminology, which was updated to include almost 1,300 terms and definitions.
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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.
Contact: Kristen Muthig
Phone: 202-897-9285
Email: [email protected]