Election Security Preparedness
The EAC is working with all levels of government to facilitate the conversation regarding securing the election process and to support election officials’ efforts to provide an accessible and secure voting process.
Since the creation of its Voting System Testing and Certification Program, in partnership with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the EAC has led in ensuring voting systems brought to the market have been vigorously tested against security standards. Voting systems certified by the EAC are not connected to the Internet.
Further, the EAC has worked with local and state election officials—as well as election stakeholders, from accessibility experts to scientists and academics—to ensure that best practices are shared nationwide. These best practices include pre-election testing, security, continuity planning, and post-election audits.
Already this year, the EAC has conducted a series of events related to our #BeReady16 initiative, and more are underway and planned, including activities addressing Election Security Preparedness.
We encourage voters to get involved with their state and local election officials, and ask questions about their election process. The vast majority of election offices offer numerous opportunities for voters to engage in the process, including witnessing pre- election testing of the voting systems. Election officials welcome voters’ questions and participation because they want voters to have confidence and to participate in the process.
Better yet, we encourage voters to work at the polls as election workers. The election process benefits from full engagement from all, and election administrators across the country are seeking election workers now for November.
With 50 days before the deadline to mail ballots to military and overseas voters, the EAC is working with all stakeholders to lead discussions productively so that voters can have the utmost confidence in the election process.