View source for Election Assistance Commission

{{Short description|American government agency}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2016}}
{{Infobox government agency
| agency_name     = Election Assistance Commission
| logo            = Logo United States Election Assistance Commission.svg
| logo_width      = 180 px
| logo_caption    = Official logo
| seal            = Seal of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.png
| seal_width      = 180 px
| seal_caption    = Official seal
| formed          = 2002
| preceding1      = 
| jurisdiction    = [[United States of America]]
| headquarters    = [[Washington, D.C.]]
| employees       = 55
| budget          = $28 million (FY 2023)
| chief1_name     = Steven Frid
| chief1_position = [https://www.eac.gov/about/staff-directory/steven-frid Executive Director (United States)]
| chief2_name     = 
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| website         = {{official URL}}
| footnotes       = [http://www.bestplacestowork.org/BPTW/rankings/agency.php?code=FT00&q=scores_small] [http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/history/ftchistory.shtm]
}}
The '''Election Assistance Commission''' ('''EAC''') is an [[Independent agencies of the United States government|independent agency of the United States government]] created by the [[Help America Vote Act]] of 2002 (HAVA).  The Commission serves as a national clearinghouse and resource of information regarding election administration. It is charged with administering payments to states and developing guidance to meet HAVA requirements, adopting voluntary voting system guidelines, and accrediting [[Independent Testing Authority|voting system test laboratories]] and certifying voting equipment.  It is also charged with developing and maintaining a national mail voter registration form.

==Responsibilities==
The EAC is tasked with performing a number of election-related duties including:<ref>[http://www.eac.gov/about_the_eac/ EAC Divisions] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100617035100/http://www.eac.gov/about_the_eac/ |date=June 17, 2010 }}, see HAVA Sections 202, 205–209, 221–222, 231, 241–247, 801–804, and 902 and at [[National Voter Registration Act of 1993|NVRA]] Section 9</ref>
* creating and maintaining the [[Voluntary Voting System Guidelines]]
* creating a national program for the testing, certification, and decertification of voting systems
* maintaining the National Mail Voter Registration Form required by the [[National Voter Registration Act of 1993]] (NVRA)
* reporting to Congress every two years on the effects of the NVRA on elections
* administering federal funds to States for HAVA requirements
* administering federal funds for the development of innovative election technology, including pilot programs to test election technology
* studying and reporting best practices of effective administration
* communicating information on laws, technologies, procedures, studies, and data related to the administration of federal elections to those responsible for formulating or implementing election law and procedures, to the media, and to other interested persons

The HAVA requires the EAC will create voluntary guidelines for voting systems, maintaining a clearinghouse of information regarding election administration procedures including testing and certification of election equipment, and administering the Election Assistance and Help America Vote Programs.

The EAC publishes the Election Administration and Voting Survey, a study examining how states administer federal elections, every two years.<ref name="r631">{{cite web | last=Leppert | first=Rebecca | title=Key facts about U.S. poll workers | website=Pew Research Center | date=2024-07-25 | url=https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/07/25/key-facts-about-us-poll-workers/ | access-date=2024-09-01}}</ref>

==History==
In 2003, Congress appropriated US$1.5 billion for HAVA. The [[General Services Administration]] distributed most of the $650 million permitted under Title I of HAVA, and the remainder was earmarked for the EAC to disburse. The funds were not distributed  because the commissioners were not confirmed until December 9, 2003; the law had required that they be in place by February 26, 2003. The initial Commissioners were:
* [[DeForest Soaries]] Jr. (2003–2005)
* Ray Martinez, III (2003–2006)
* Paul S. DeGregorio (2003–2007)
* Gracia Hillman (2003–2010)

In its 2004 budget, Congress again allocated $1.5 billion to fund HAVA. By January 2004, the EAC did not have permanent offices or budget, even though it was required to publish state election reform plans in the [[Federal Register]] before money for new voting equipment could be disbursed to the states.

On December 6, 2006 [[Caroline C. Hunter|Caroline Hunter]] and [[Rosemary E. Rodriguez]] were nominated by President George W. Bush to replace Ray Martinez and Paul DeGregorio.<ref>[https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2006/12/20061206-4.html Nominations and Withdrawals Sent to the Senate], [https://www.whitehouse.gov/ Office of the Press Secretary, White House], (December 2006)</ref> They were confirmed by the U.S. Senate on February 15, 2007.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Whitener|first1=Bryan|last2=Layson|first2=Jeannie|title=Hunter and Rodriguez Join EAC|url=http://archives.eac.gov/News/press/docs/03-08-07-hunter-and-rodriguez-join-eac|website=U.S. Election Assistance Commission|date=March 8, 2007}}</ref>

In 2010, the EAC lost its quorum of Commissioners, after the resignation or end of term of Hunter (2008), Rodriguez (2009) and Hillman (2010), preventing many normal operational duties; and was without any Commissioners by 2011 after the resignation of Davidson. Bills were subsequently drafted to end the Commission. Specifically, [[United States Representative|Representative]] [[Gregg Harper]] introduced a bill to windup the EAC and transfer some of its functions to the [[Federal Election Commission]].<ref name="Knott-Roll-Call-shutdown">{{cite news | agency = [[Roll Call]] | url = http://www.rollcall.com/issues/56_111/Election-Assistance-Commission-May-Be-Closing-204942-1.html | title = Election Assistance Commission May Be Closing | date = April 14, 2011 | author = Alex Knott }}</ref>

The EAC did not regain a quorum until December 16, 2014, when the [[U.S. Senate]] confirmed three Commissioners, [https://www.eac.gov/about-eac/commissioner-thomas-hicks Thomas Hicks], [https://www.eac.gov/about/former-commissioner-matthew-masterson-statements Matthew V. Masterson], and [https://www.eac.gov/about/commissioner-christy-mccormick Christy McCormick].<ref name=usatoday>{{cite web |url=http://onpolitics.usatoday.com/2014/12/17/elections-assistance-commission-senate/|title=OnPolitics – USA Today's politics blog|website=USA Today|access-date=July 1, 2017}}</ref> Masterson resigned in 2018; and on January 2, 2019, President Donald Trump's nominees, [https://www.eac.gov/about-eac/commissioner-benjamin-hovland Benjamin Hovland] and [https://www.eac.gov/about/commissioner-donald-palmer Donald Palmer], were confirmed by the US Senate,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eac.gov/about/commissioner-donald-palmer|title=Commissioner Donald Palmer &#124; U.S. Election Assistance Commission|website=www.eac.gov}}</ref> and took office in February 2019.

==Chair and commissioners==
The Help America Vote Act specifies that four commissioners are nominated by the President on recommendations from the majority and minority leadership in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate. Once confirmed by the full Senate, commissioners may serve two consecutive terms and no more than two commissioners may belong to the same political party. The terms lasts for four years, but commissioners may continue serving after the expiration of their term until their successor has taken office. The Commission selects a chair and vice chair from among its members for a term of one year. The chair and vice chair may not be affiliated with the same political party. A member of the Commission can only serve one term as chair and vice chair each during each of their terms as members.<ref>{{USCode|52|20923}}</ref>

===Current commissioners===
The current commissioners {{as of|lc=y|df=US|2024|12|22}}:<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eac.gov/about/commissioners |title=Commissioners |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=March 13, 2024 |website=EAC.gov |publisher=Election Assistance Commission |access-date=December 22, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.congress.gov/quick-search/nominations?wordsPhrases=Election+Assistance+Commission&wordVariants=on&congressGroups%5B0%5D=0&congresses%5B0%5D=all&nomCivil=on&nomOther=on&pnNumbers=&nomineeNames=&positions=&organizations=&stateTerritories%5B0%5D=any&nominationAction=&dates=datesReceivedInSenate&dateOperator=equal&startDate=&endDate=&dateIsOption=yesterday |title=Quick Search Election Assistance Commission |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=<!--Not stated--> |website=Congress.gov |publisher=Library of Congress |access-date=September 21, 2024}}</ref>
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Name
! Party
! Took office
! Term expires
|-
| {{sortname|Benjamin W.|Hovland}} {{small|(Chairman)}} || {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic || {{dts|2019|02|04}} || {{dts|2019|12|12}}
|-
| {{sortname|Donald L.|Palmer|Donald Palmer (election official)}} {{small|(Vice Chair)}} || {{party shading/Republican}} | Republican || {{dts|2019|02|04}} || {{dts|2021|12|12}}
|-
| {{sortname|Thomas|Hicks|Thomas Hicks (election official)}} || {{party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic || {{dts|2015|01|13}} || {{dts|2017|12|12}}
|-
| {{sortname|Christy|McCormick}} || {{party shading/Republican}} | Republican || {{dts|2015|01|13}} || {{dts|2015|12|12}}
|}

===Former commissioners===
Former commissioners include:<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eac.gov/about/former-commissioners |title=Former Commissioners |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=June 7, 2023 |website=EAC.gov |publisher=Election Assistance Commission |access-date=September 21, 2024}}</ref>
* [[DeForest Soaries]] Jr. (2003–2005)
* [[Ray Martinez, III]] (2003–2006)
* [[Paul S. DeGregorio]] (2003–2007)
* [[Caroline C. Hunter|Caroline Hunter]] (2007–2008)
* [[Rosemary E. Rodriguez]] (2007–2009)
* [[Gracia Hillman]] (2003–2010)
* [[Donetta Davidson]] (2005–2011)
* [[Gineen Bresso]] (2008–2011)
* [[Matthew Masterson]] (2014–2018)

==Officers and staff==

===Executive Director===
The current Executive Director of the EAC is [https://www.eac.gov/about/staff-directory/steven-frid Steven Frid], who succeeded Interim Executive Director, Mark A. Robbins. Prior to him, Mona Harrington served as Executive Director. She succeeded  Brian Newby, who served a four-year term from October 2015 to October 2019. Newby succeeded Thomas R. Wilkey, the agency's first Executive Director, who resigned in November 2011. Prior to the EAC, Wilkey served a four-year term as the executive director of the New York State Board of Elections beginning in 2003. He worked 34 years in the field of election administration.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eac.gov/about_the_eac/thomas_r_wilkey.aspx|title=About The US EAC – About U.S. EAC – US Election Assistance Commission|website=www.eac.gov|access-date=July 1, 2017}}</ref> The executive director position was created by HAVA § 204(a).

===General Counsel===
The current Acting General Counsel is Amanda Joiner. Prior to her, the General Counsel was Kevin Rayburn. The previous General Counsel was Clifford Tatum, who served a four-year term (October 2015 to October 2019). The agency's first General Counsel, serving under the Executive Director, was Juliet E. Thompson.<ref>[http://www.eac.gov/eac_taps_juliet_thompson_for_general_counsel_position/ EAC taps Juliet Thompson for General Counsel Position] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927173447/http://www.eac.gov/eac_taps_juliet_thompson_for_general_counsel_position/ |date=September 27, 2011 }}, August 26, 2004</ref> She previously held the position of Associate General Counsel at the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, and General Counsel of the Louisiana Department of Elections and Registration.

===Inspector General===
The current Inspector General is Brianna Schletz. The Office of the Inspector General is tasked with detecting and preventing fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement of EAC programs, regularly performing audits and evaluations.

==Standards Board==
The EAC Standards Board was established under title II section 211 of HAVA. Its duties include reviewing the voluntary voting systems guidelines and review of the best practices recommendations. The Board consists of 110 members, 55 State election officials and 55 local election officials. The Board adopts resolutions and makes recommendations by simple majority vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eac.gov/assets/1/workflow_staging/Page/183.PDF|title=Charter of the EAC Standards Board|access-date=July 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229032914/https://www.eac.gov/assets/1/workflow_staging/Page/183.PDF|archive-date=December 29, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>(see a full list of [http://www.eac.gov/about_the_eac/standards_board.aspx Standards Board members])

The Board selects nine of its members as an Executive Board of whom, no more than five may be State election officials; no more than five may be local election officials; and no more than five may be members of the same political party. (see a full list of [http://www.eac.gov/about_the_eac/standards_board.aspx Executive Board members])

==Board of Advisors==
The EAC Board of Advisors was established under title II section 211 of HAVA. Like those of the Standards Board, the Board of Advisors' duties include reviewing the voluntary voting systems guidelines and review of the best practices recommendations. The Board consists of appointed members. Two members being appointed by each of the [[National Governors Association]], the [[National Conference of State Legislatures]], the [[National Association of Secretaries of State]], the [[National Association of State Election Directors]], the [[National Association of Counties]], the [http://www.nacrc.org/ National Association of County Recorders, Election Officials, and Clerks] (NACRC), the [[United States Conference of Mayors]], the Election Center, the [http://www.iacreot.com/ International Association of County Recorders, Election Officials, and Treasurers] (IACREOT), the [[United States Commission on Civil Rights]], and the Architectural and Transportation Barrier Compliance Board. The Board also includes the chief of the Office of Public Integrity of the [[United States Department of Justice|Department of Justice]], the Chief of the Voting Section of the [[Civil Rights Division]] at the [[U.S. Department of Justice]], and the director of the [[Federal Voting Assistance Program]] of the [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]]. Further, the Board also includes four members representing professionals in the field of science and technology, one appointed by the [[Speaker of the United States House of Representatives|Speaker]] and one by the [[Minority Leader]] of the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]], one appointed by the [[Majority Leader]] and one by the [[Minority Leader]] of the [[United States Senate|Senate]]. Of the eight final members of the Board, four members are appointed by the [[United States House Committee on House Administration]] and four members are appointed by the [[United States Senate Committee on Rules and Administration]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eac.gov/assets/1/Page/Board%20of%20Advisors%20-%20Charter.pdf|title=Charter of the EAC Board of Advisors|access-date=July 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229050323/https://www.eac.gov/assets/1/Page/Board%20of%20Advisors%20-%20Charter.pdf|archive-date=December 29, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> (see a full list  of [http://www.eac.gov/about_the_eac/board_of_advisors.aspx Advisory Board members])

==Technical Guidelines Development Committee==
The [[Technical Guidelines Development Committee]] (TGDC) is tasked with assisting the EAC in drafting the [[Voluntary Voting System Guidelines]].<ref name="tgdc">{{cite web|url=http://www.eac.gov/assets/1/workflow_staging/Page/197.PDF|title=Charter of the EAC Technical Guidelines and Development Committee|access-date=July 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221013506/https://www.eac.gov/assets/1/workflow_staging/Page/197.PDF|archive-date=December 21, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Committee membership consists of the Director of the [[National Institute of Standards and Technology]] (NIST); 14 members appointed jointly by the EAC and the Director of NIST from the Standards Board, the Board of Advisors, the Architectural and Transportation Barrier, and the Access Board, a representative of [[American National Standards Institute]] (ANSI),  a representative of the [[IEEE]], two representatives of the NASED, and other individuals with technical and scientific expertise relating to voting systems and voting equipment.<ref name="tgdc"/> (see a full list  of [http://www.eac.gov/about_the_eac/technical_guidelines_development_committee.aspx TGDC members]{{Dead link|date=September 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }})

==Criticisms==

Critics have contended that the EAC has responded positively to political pressure from the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] and the [[United States Department of Justice|Department of Justice]]. For example, the EAC is said to have overstated the problem of voter fraud, which is often cited by Republicans as a justification for restrictive measures that [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]] charge are intended to prevent qualified Democrats from voting. The EAC Chair denied that there was any political pressure.<ref>{{cite web|last=Fessler|first=Pam|title=Federal Panel on Voter Fraud Scrutinized|publisher=[[National Public Radio]]|date=July 31, 2007|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12385655|access-date=August 30, 2007}}</ref> Tova Wang, a consultant to the Commission, wrote a detailed account in ''[[The Washington Post]]'' about how her research and that of her Republican co-author had been disregarded or altered by the EAC, to produce a published report "that completely stood our own work on its head." The changes included exaggerating the purported voter fraud issue and omitting references to charges of voter intimidation lodged by Democrats, as well as removing all criticisms of the [[George W. Bush]] administration's Department of Justice that the report had incorporated.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Wang|first=Tova Andrea|title=A Rigged Report on U.S. Voting?| newspaper =[[The Washington Post]]|pages=A21|date=August 30, 2007|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/29/AR2007082901928.html?hpid=opinionsbox1}}</ref>

In 2009, the [[United States Office of Special Counsel]] issued a report that found that the EAC engaged in political discrimination in federal hiring against an attorney to fill the General Counsel position because he was a Republican.<ref name="WT-OSC">{{cite news | agency =[[The Washington Times]] | date = December 3, 2009 | author = Amanda Carpenter | url = http://www.washingtontimes.com/weblogs/back-story/2009/dec/03/election-assistance-commision-nixes-job-to-man-bec/ | title = Election Assistance Commission nixes job to man because of GOP affiliation }}</ref> The report was in response to a settlement between the attorney and the EAC, in which the attorney was paid an unspecified amount of money.<ref name="EAC-settlement">{{cite web | url = http://www.eac.gov/assets/1/AssetManager/Evaluation%20Report%20-%20Accessible.pdf | title = Use of Appropriated Funds to Settle a Claim | date = September 2010 | publisher = Election Assistance Commission Office of the Inspector General | access-date = May 30, 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111020182801/http://www.eac.gov/assets/1/AssetManager/Evaluation%20Report%20-%20Accessible.pdf | archive-date = October 20, 2011 | url-status = dead }}</ref><ref name="EAC-OSC">{{cite web | url = http://www.osc.gov/documents/press/2009/pr09_23.pdf | date = December 2, 2009 | title = Office of Special Counsel Settles Political Discrimination Case  | publisher = [[United States Office of Special Counsel]] | access-date = May 30, 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110928000247/http://www.osc.gov/documents/press/2009/pr09_23.pdf | archive-date = September 28, 2011 | url-status = dead }}</ref>

In 2019, an article in [[Politico]] reported that Newby had been the subject of extensive criticism from within and without the agency since his hiring in 2015, culminating in multiple calls for his resignation from Democratic members of the House and the Senate.<ref name="politico.com">{{ cite web | url = https://www.politico.com/story/2019/06/15/federal-election-brian-newby-2020-1365841 | date = June 15, 2019 | title = Federal election official accused of undermining his own agency | publisher = [[Politico]] |first1=Eric |last1=Geller }}</ref>  Anonymous sources reported that Newby played a large role in many EAC staffers leaving, including the departure of Ryan Macias, the acting director of election testing and certification, as well as his predecessor, Brian Hancock. These departures "knocked the wind out of the technical sails of the EAC," said an anonymous voting security researcher.<ref name="politico.com"/> Exacerbating the situation was the reporter's speculation of the partisan nature of Newby's hiring, with the article labeling him a Republican and the Commissioner who recommended his being hired, Christy McCormick, as well. In February 2016, Newby approved requests from three states to change state-specific instructions on the NVRA federal form related to proof of citizenship for voter registration. These states required proof of citizenship by state law, a controversial policy being pushed by conservative GOP members such as [[Kris Kobach]] of Kansas, that would be used in support of Donald Trump's widely discredited claim that millions of illegal votes had been cast in the 2016 presidential election and had denied Trump a majority in the popular vote. An injunction was placed on the changes by a US Appeals court, although the case remained with the US District Court.<ref name="politico.com"/>

==Certification of voting machines==
{{cleanup merge|Certification of voting machines|21=section|date=November 2022}}
The US Election Assistance Commission has assumed federal responsibility for accrediting voting system test laboratories and certifying voting equipment through the Voting System Certification & Laboratory Accreditation Program.<ref name="history">{{Cite web |url=http://www.eac.gov/eac_vsc1.htm |website=Election Assistance Commission |title=History of Voting System Certification and Test Laboratory Accreditation |access-date=2007-02-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070208234738/http://www.eac.gov/eac_vsc1.htm |archive-date=2007-02-08 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The purpose of the program is to independently verify that voting systems comply with the functional capabilities, accessibility, and security requirements necessary to ensure the integrity and reliability of voting system operation, as established in the [[Voluntary Voting System Guidelines]] (VVSG). With this program the [[National Institute of Standards and Technology]] (NIST) will recommend labs for accreditation through its [[National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program]] (NVLAP).

The VVSG provide a set of specifications and requirements against which voting systems can be tested to determine if the systems provide all of the basic functionality, accessibility and security capabilities required of these systems. In addition, the guidelines establish evaluation criteria for the national certification of voting systems.

The EAC's [[Technical Guidelines Development Committee]], with  technical support from NIST are tasked with developing an initial set of recommendations for each VVSG iteration.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.eac.gov/VVSG%20Volume_I.pdf|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060208184233/http://www.eac.gov/VVSG%20Volume_I.pdf|url-status=dead|title=2005 Voluntary Voting System Guidelines Volume 1|archivedate=February 8, 2006}}</ref> After the initial draft guidelines are authored, they are sent to the EAC for review and revision and then released for public comment. Comments are reviewed and considered by the EAC in consultation with NIST in development of the final release.

In 2007, California Secretary of State [[Debra Bowen]] decertified four [[Electronic voting|electronic voting systems]], three of which were conditionally recertified, after a "top-to-bottom review" of the voting machines certified for use in California in March 2007.<ref>{{cite web|title=Top-To-Bottom Review |publisher=California Secretary of State |date=2007-08-03 |url=http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_vsr.htm |accessdate=2007-08-10 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070715155200/http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_vsr.htm |archivedate=2007-07-15 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>''San Francisco Gate'': [https://web.archive.org/web/20080119052442/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fn%2Fa%2F2007%2F08%2F04%2Fstate%2Fn190740D16.DTL&type=politics County officials fear new voting standards will be hard to meet.]  August 4, 2007.</ref>

===VVSG 2.0 (2021)===
A new version of the VVSG was approved for adoption in February 2021. The VVSG 2.0 represents a significant advancement in defining standards that improves cybersecurity, accessibility, and usability requirements, while also introducing various audit methods supporting software independence to confirm the accuracy of the vote and increase voter confidence. [https://www.eac.gov/voting-equipment/voluntary-voting-system-guidelines Voting System Guidelines | The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)]
* [https://www.eac.gov/sites/default/files/TestingCertification/Voluntary%20Voting%20System%20Guidelines%20Version%202%200.pdf VVSG 2.0]
* [https://www.eac.gov/sites/default/files/TestingCertification/VVSG%202.0%20Test%20Assertions%20v1.2.pdf VVSG 2.0 Test Assertions]
As of 2021, [[SLI Compliance]] and [[Pro V&V]] are the only two organizations that the EAC has authorized to certify voting systems in the United States.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Fifield |first=Jen |date=2021-02-17 |title=A closer look at who is auditing Maricopa County's election and why it matters |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2021/02/17/closer-look-companies-auditing-maricopa-county-election-why-matters/6765493002/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240211172242/https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2021/02/17/closer-look-companies-auditing-maricopa-county-election-why-matters/6765493002/ |archive-date=2024-02-11 |access-date=2025-08-24 |website=[[The Arizona Republic]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

===VVSG 1.1 (2015)===
A new version of the VVSG was approved in 2015. [https://web.archive.org/web/20131111090514/http://www.eac.gov/testing_and_certification/voluntary_voting_system_guidelines.aspx Voluntary Voting System Guidelines | The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)].
* [https://www.eac.gov/assets/1/28/VVSG.1.1.VOL.1.FINAL1.pdf Volume 1]{{Dead link|date=September 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
* [https://www.eac.gov/assets/1/28/VVSG.1.1.VOL.2.FINAL.pdf Volume 2]{{Dead link|date=September 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

===2007 VVSG===
A [http://vote.nist.gov/meeting-03222007/VVSG-SETdraft-20070306v5.pdf draft version] of the 2007 VVSG was developed by the TGDC and NIST. It was not approved by the TGDC nor the EAC.

===VVSG 1.0 (2005)===
The 2005 VVSG, which significantly increased security requirements for voting systems and expanded access, including opportunities to vote privately and independently, for individuals with disabilities, was unanimously adopted by the EAC in December 2005;<ref>[http://www.eac.gov/vvsg_intro.htm Voluntary Voting System Guidelines] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060209213817/http://www.eac.gov/vvsg_intro.htm |date=2006-02-09 }}, U.S. Election Assistance Commission</ref> It was version of the federal certification standards. During the 90-day public comment period, EAC received more than 6,000 comments on the proposed guidelines. These comments and the proposed guidelines are [https://archive.today/20060702083432/http://guidelines.kennesaw.edu/vvsg available] via the [[Kennesaw State University]]. The 2005 VVSG will go into effect 24 months after their final
adoption (December 2007).
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060208184233/http://www.eac.gov/VVSG%20Volume_I.pdf VVSG Volume 1]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060208184242/http://www.eac.gov/VVSG%20Volume_II.pdf VVSG Volume 2]

===Certification Origins and Roy Saltman===
In February 1975 an interagency agreement was formed with [[General Accounting Office]]’s Office of Federal Elections (predecessor to the [[Federal Election Commission]]) and the National Bureau of Standards (predecessor to the [[National Institute of Standards and Technology]]) resulting in a March 1975 report, ''Effective Use of Computing Technology in Vote-Tallying'',<ref>[[Roy G. Saltman]]. ''Final Project Report: Effective Use of Computing Technology in Vote-Tallying'', prepared for the Clearinghouse on Election Administration (May 1975). URL= http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/NBS_SP_500-30.pdf</ref> authored by [[Roy Saltman]]. This report highlighted "the lack of appropriate technical skills at the State and local level for developing or implementing written standards, against which voting system hardware and software could be evaluated."

The U.S. Congress then directed the Federal Election Commission (FEC), in conjunction with the National Bureau of Standards to create engineering and procedural performance standards for voting systems. Another report, ''Voting System Standards: A Report on the Feasibility of Developing Voluntary Standards for Voting Equipment'' was produced in early 1984.<ref>Saltman, R. G. 1988. Accuracy, integrity and security in computerized vote-tallying. Commun. ACM 31, 10 (October 1988), 1184–1191. {{doi|10.1145/63039.63041}}</ref> In July 1984 the FEC armed with congressionally appropriated funds began a six-year task of creating the first national performance and test standards for punchcard, marksense, and direct recording electronic voting systems.

The resulting body of work was the first set of voluntary Voting System Standards issued in 1990.<ref>[http://josephhall.org/fec_vss_1990_pdf/FEC_1990_Voting_System_Standards.pdf Performance and Test Standards for Punchcard, Marksense, and Direct Recording Electronic Voting Systems] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210314170709/https://www.josephhall.org/fec_vss_1990_pdf/FEC_1990_Voting_System_Standards.pdf |date=March 14, 2021 }}, [[Federal Election Commission]] (1990)</ref>

===FEC and NASED===
In addition to their involvement in the origins of national voting certification and testing, the FEC's Office of Election Administration and the [[National Association of State Election Directors]] (NASED) updated the initial Voting System Standards with the [https://web.archive.org/web/20060413080255/http://www.eac.gov/election_resources/vss.html 2002 Voting System Standards/Guidelines].

The national testing effort was overseen by NASED’s Voting Systems Board, which is composed of election officials and independent technical advisors.  NASED established a process for vendors to submit their equipment to an Independent Test Authority (ITA) for evaluation against the Standards.  The NASED has compiled a list of [https://web.archive.org/web/20060420141622/http://www.nased.org/NASED%20Qualified%20Voting%20Systems%20122205.pdf Qualified Voting Systems 12-22-05]

===EAC Interim Voting System Certification Program===
The [[Help America Vote Act]] mandated the federal certification process be assumed by the EAC. The EAC implemented an interim certification program in July 2006 which provided a means to obtain federal certification for modifications required by state and local election officials administering the 2006 General Election.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.eac.gov/eac_vsc2.htm |title=EAC's Voting System Certification Program |access-date=2007-03-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070208234808/http://www.eac.gov/eac_vsc2.htm |archive-date=2007-02-08 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In summer 2006 the EAC barred the company [[Ciber|Ciber Inc.]] from approving further voting machines. Federal officials found that it was not following its quality-control procedures and could not document that it was conducting all the required tests.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/04/washington/04voting.html|title=U.S. Bars Lab From Testing Electronic Voting|first=Christopher|last=Drew|work=The New York Times |date=January 4, 2007|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref> According to the EAC "Ciber, Inc. has applied for interim accreditation, but EAC has not completed its review, so the Ciber application is pending." They have released [https://web.archive.org/web/20070331181657/http://www.eac.gov/eac_vsc3_updates.htm relevant documentation] regarding the Ciber, Inc. application from accreditation.

==See also==
{{Portal|United States|Politics}}
* [[Title 11 of the Code of Federal Regulations]]
* [[Federal Election Commission]]
* [[Certification of voting machines]]
* [[Voting machine]]
{{Clear}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{official website|1=https://www.eac.gov/|2=Election Assistance Commission official website}}
* [https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/election-assistance-commission Election Assistance Commission] in the [[Federal Register]]
* [https://www.usaspending.gov/agency/election-assistance-commission Election Assistance Commission] on [[USAspending.gov]]
* [https://www.c-span.org/organization/?50263/Election-Assistance-Commission Coverage of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission] on [[C-SPAN]]

{{Voting rights in the United States}}
{{Presidency of George W. Bush}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:2002 establishments in the United States]]
[[Category:Government agencies established in 2002]]
[[Category:Elections in the United States|Assistance Commission]]
[[Category:Independent agencies of the United States government]]
[[Category:Election commissions|United States]]
[[Category:Electronic voting organizations]]