U.S. Election Assistance Commission

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) has accredited InfoGuard Labs to be the third voting system test laboratory under the commission’s full test lab accreditation program. Click here for more information about InfoGuard and other EAC accredited labs.

Commissioners accredited InfoGuard Labs following a recommendation by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and after an independent EAC review to address non-technical issues such as conflict-of-interest policies, organizational structure, and recordkeeping protocols. In addition to InfoGuard, iBeta Quality Assurance and SysTest Labs have also been accredited by EAC. All three labs will test against both the 2002 Voting System Standards and the 2005 Voluntary Voting System Guidelines.

The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002 mandates that EAC assume federal responsibility for accrediting voting system test laboratories and for certifying voting equipment. The accreditation program follows the procedures mandated by HAVA. This includes review of the labs by NIST, through its National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP). NIST then provides recommendations to the EAC regarding laboratory accreditation. For more information about the NIST/NVLAP accreditation process and to view related documents, visit www.vote.nist.gov.

EAC’s Voting System Certification and Laboratory Accreditation Program represents the first time the federal government has accredited test laboratories and certified voting equipment. In the past, these functions were performed on a volunteer basis by the National Association of State Election Directors (NASED), which did not receive any federal funds. Participation in EAC’s program is voluntary. For a list of registered manufacturers, accredited labs, voting systems applying for certification and other information, please click here.

EAC is an independent bipartisan commission created by HAVA. It is charged with administering payments to states and developing guidance to meet HAVA requirements, implementing election administration improvements, adopting voluntary voting system guidelines, accrediting voting system test laboratories and certifying voting equipment and serving as a national clearinghouse and resource of information regarding election administration. The four EAC commissioners are Donetta Davidson, chair; Rosemary Rodriguez, vice chair; Caroline Hunter; and Gracia Hillman.

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