For Immediate Release
January 21, 2022
Washington DC – Today, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) announced that Executive Director Mona Harrington will be departing the agency effective February 11, 2022.
“Throughout her tenure at the EAC, Mona has shown strong leadership during a critical period for the agency,” U.S. Election Assistance Commission Chairman Donald Palmer, Vice Chair Thomas Hicks, Commissioner Christy McCormick, and Commissioner Ben Hovland said in a joint statement. “As Executive Director, Mona has led the reorganization and expansion of staff and the relocation of the agency. Her expertise in IT and cybersecurity helped drive the development process of the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines 2.0 and offered valuable insight as the EAC approved and started the implementation. These achievements and many more not mentioned here are even more impressive considering they were accomplished as the EAC operated in a virtual workplace in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We thank Mona for her commitment to the EAC, our staff, and our mission. She has helped to lay a strong foundation for the agency, and we will continue the progress she achieved during her time at the EAC.”
A formal search process for a new Executive Director, as designated by the Help America Vote Act of 2002, will begin immediately to ensure continuity of operations.
“My work as the Executive Director of the EAC has been a highlight of my career and it has been a privilege to work with the Commissioners and staff, as well as election officials from across the country, and our federal partners. The work of the EAC is critical to supporting and strengthening our democracy. It was an honor to serve in this capacity during this formative time which included the 2020 election, agency expansion, and the passage of VVSG 2.0. While I will no longer be at the EAC, I look forward to seeing the continued growth of the agency and its critical programs,” said outgoing EAC Executive Director Mona Harrington. “The EAC is in a strong position to continue supporting election officials for years to come and I thank the Commissioners and staff for their confidence and trust in me.”
“The Executive Director is critical to the continuity of operations of the agency so we will work to make sure the search process will be thorough but expedited to help this transition. While we are sad to see Mona go, we look forward to working with the future Executive Director to continue the growth of the agency and carry out the mission of the EAC as we serve election officials and voters,” added the Commissioners.
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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]v