The EAC’s Standards Board and Board of Advisors held annual meetings to discuss challenges and needs ahead for this year’s elections, and heard agency updates
WASHINGTON, DC – Last week, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) convened the Standards Board and Board of Advisors in Kansas City, Missouri for the respective boards’ annual meetings. Panel discussions covered lessons from the presidential primaries, planning for the general election, artificial intelligence, elections in the territories, communications, ethical standards for election administration, and updates on EAC programs and resources.
The Standards Board is made up of 110 state and local election officials from the 50 states, four territories, and the District of Columbia. The board consists of 55 state election officials selected by their respective chief state election official, and 55 local election officials chosen 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. More information and a roster of members can be found here.
The Board of Advisors is a 35-member board composed of representatives appointed by members of congress, federal agencies, and national organizations. A full list of appointing authorities and a roster of members can be found here.
EAC Chairman Ben Hovland, Vice Chair Donald Palmer, Commissioner Thomas Hicks, and Commissioner Christy McCormick issues the following joint statement:
These meetings were a timely opportunity to directly hear what election officials from across the country are facing and compile information on how the EAC can serve them for the rest of the year and into 2025. This is an incredibly busy time for election officials, and we appreciate all of the members who were able to join and provide such valuable feedback. Common areas of focus for board members were the security of voting systems and election equipment, the physical security of election officials, as well as the need for consistent funding for elections. The meeting was an opportunity to share updates on EAC programs and understand what members need from the Commissioners and EAC staff. As our primary stakeholders, this feedback is invaluable.
The Board of Advisors elected board leaders at their annual meeting. The new Board of Advisors Executive Officers are:
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Chair – Ricky Hatch, Weber County (UT) Clerk/Auditor
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Chair-Elect – Secretary of State Scott Schwab, Kansas
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Secretary – Christine Walker, Jackson County (OR) Clerk
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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. The 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.