There are three HAVA-mandated federal advisory committees that help the EAC complete its mission. They are: (1) the Standards Board(opens in new tab), (2) the Board of Advisors(opens in new tab), and (3) the Technical Guidelines Development Committee (TGDC). Each board is composed of experts from the field and representatives of the government. In 2021, the EAC also established the Local Leadership Council composed of two election official leaders from each state.
HAVA mandates that the Standards Board and the Board of Advisors shall review the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG) and best practice recommendations. The TGDC is tasked with drafting and recommending versions of the VVSG. After drafting and finalizing a recommended version of the VVSG, the TGDC presents the VVSG to the Executive Director of the EAC. The Executive Director then presents the VVSG to the Standards Board and the Board of Advisors, both of which review and provide comments to the Commission.
Election Related Acronyms and Phases
| Acronym | Name |
|---|---|
| Access Board | Architectural and Transportation Barrier Compliance Board |
| ADA | Americans with Disabilities Act |
| ANSI | American National Standards Institute |
| COTS | Commercial Off The Shelf |
| DOJ | Department of Justice |
| EAC | Election Assistance Commission |
| EAVS | Election Administration & Voting Survey |
| EC | Election Center |
| EMGS | Election Management Guidelines |
| FACA | Federal Advisory Committee Act |
| FVAP | Federal Voting Assistance Program |
| HAVA | Help America Vote Act |
| IACREOT | International Association of Clerks, Recorders, Election Officials and Treasurers |
| IEEE | Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers |
| IFES | International Foundation for Electoral Systems |
| IIMC | International Institute of Municipal Clerks |
| L&A | Logic & Accuracy Testing |
| MOVE | Military and Overseas Voters Empowerment Act |
| NACO | National Association of Counties |
| NACRC | National Association of County Recorders, Election Officials and Clerks |
| NASED | National Association of State Election Directors |
| NASS | National Association of Secretaries of State |
| NCSL | National Conference of State Legislatures |
| NGA | National Governors Association |
| NIST | National Institute of Standards and Technology |
| NVLAP | National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program |
| NVRA | National Voter Registration Act |
| TGDC | Technical Guidelines Development Committee |
| UOCAVA | Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act |
| USCCR | United States Commission on Civil Rights |
| USCM | United States Conference of Mayors |
| VAEHA | Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act |
| VRA | Voting Rights Act |
| VSTL | Voting System Test Laboratories |
| VVSG | Voluntary Voting System Guidelines |