The EAC Commissioners also Unanimously Approve Appointment of
Camden Kelliher as General Counsel
WASHINGTON, DC— The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) hosted a 2024 Post-Election Hearing at the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s Ballot Processing Center. During the livestreamed event, state and local election officials joined the EAC’s Commissioners for in-depth discussions on lessons learned from the 2024 election cycle including election security, disaster response, contingency planning, and serving voters.
Panelists reflected on the effort and preparations that went into the successful administration of the 2024 elections but also noted the challenges election officials faced. These included the response to natural disasters like Hurricanes Helene weeks before Election Day, ballot drop box fires in Oregon and Washington, and the influx of hoax bomb threats made to election officials and voting locations.
Chairman Ben Hovland, Vice Chairman Donald Palmer, Commissioner Thomas Hicks, and Commissioner Christy McCormick issued the following joint statement on the 2024 elections and what they have heard from election officials:
“The administration of the 2024 elections went smoothly thanks to the dedication and preparation of thousands of election officials across the country. Each election has speed bumps and challenges, but the years of planning at the federal, state, and local levels paid off. This conversation highlighted lessons learned and offered best practices for future elections. The EAC looks forward to continuing to highlight the exemplary work of election officials from 2024 and supporting these public servants in coming elections.”
The event began with remarks from California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D. and Dean Logan, the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Panelists included The Honorable Phil McGrane, Idaho Secretary of State; Karen Brinson Bell, Executive Director, North Carolina State Board of Elections; Mandy Vigil, State Election Director, New Mexico; Joel Watson, Jr., Louisiana Deputy Secretary of State, Communications; Thad Hall, Director, Mercer County Voter Registration and Election Bureau, Pennsylvania; Ricky Hatch, County Clerk/Auditor, Weber County, Utah; Carly Koppes, County Clerk and Recorder, Weld County, Colorado; and Tim Scott, Director of Elections, Multnomah County, Oregon.
The event also featured a presentation on research from Thad Kousser from the University of California San Diego on increasing voter confidence in the integrity of elections. The study found the EAC's 2018 “Election Security” video to provide effective messaging that can be used by election officials to communicate the protections for elections. Conducted 10 days before the 2024 election, the research found a significant increase in confidence among those who watched it, especially when the video was customized for a state. The EAC released an updated version of the “Election Security” video in 2024.
During the meeting, the EAC Commissioners unanimously voted to appoint Camden Kelliher as the agency’s General Counsel. Mr. Kelliher has served as Acting General Counsel since December 2023 and joined the EAC in March 2020.
Chairman Ben Hovland, Vice Chairman Donald Palmer, Commissioner Thomas Hicks, and Commissioner Christy McCormick issued the following joint statement on his appointment:
“We are pleased to have Camden Kelliher serve as the EAC’s General Counsel. His legal expertise became especially evident while serving as Acting General Counsel in the 2024 election year. He has provided critical legal guidance to the agency, such as recommending HAVA grant funding decision policies on authorizing communications to respond to AI-generated disinformation. He also gave advice on the operation of EAC Advisory Boards and assisted in the internal restructuring of the Commission. Mr. Kelliher continues to stay ahead of the evolving election landscape, and the EAC is grateful to have him in this new role.”
Mr. Kelliher has a B.A. from Temple University, and a J.D. and Master of Public Policy from the College of William & Mary. He previously served as an Election Law Fellow and was a Thomas Jefferson Scholar with the National Center for State Courts.
A recording of the 2024 Post-Election Hearing is available on the EAC’s YouTube channel.
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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.