Press Releases
The EAC Recognizes Disability Voting Rights Week
September, 13 2022
September 13, 2022
The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) recognized Disability Voting Rights Week by reaffirming its dedication to helping election officials serve voters with disabilities.
MEDIA ADVISORY
August 30, 2022
The EAC Marks August 16 as "Help America Vote Day"
August, 16 2022
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 16, 2022
Established by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, the event aims to raise awareness about the importance of poll workers and inspire more Americans to sign up.
For Immediate Release
July 26, 2022
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 21, 2022
U.S. Election Assistance Commission Announces 2021 Clearinghouse Award Winners
The Annual Clearinghouse Awards Recognize 20 Jurisdictions for Best Practices in Election Administration.
April 5, 2022
Factsheets
FACT SHEET: Election Administration and Voting Survey
March, 15 2017
Elections generate a tremendous amount of data that can be collected and analyzed to improve voter experience and guide how officials administer elections. All of this data is collected regularly by the thousands of jurisdictions that oversee elections across the country. Since 2004 the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) has captured and analyzed much of this data for all states and territories via our Election Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS).
FACT SHEET: Voter Registration List Maintenance
March, 10 2017
An important part of the EAC’s mission is to support state and local election officials in their efforts to ensure accessible, accurate and secure elections. This fact sheet highlights how states conduct list maintenance, the importance of accurate voter registration lists, and the National Voter Registration Act’s provisions to ensure voter lists are maintained. It also gives guidance for voters wishing to proactively check the status of their own voter registration.
For more than a decade, the EAC’s Testing and Certification Program has assisted state and local election officials by providing timely and accurate voting machine testing. This program is a requirement of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002, legislation that created the EAC and mandated that the Commission provide certification, decertification, and recertification of voting systems, as well as the accreditation of voting system testing laboratories. This legislation marked the first time
More than 35 million Americans with disabilities, roughly one-sixth of the total electorate, are eligible to vote in the United States. This accounts for a broad range of disabilities, including mobility, communicative, physical, and cognitive impairments. This ever-growing population of voters also faces educational, cultural and political barriers that can make participating in elections even more difficult. The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) has a strong commitment to working with
Blogs
Women in Elections: The EAC Celebrates Women’s History Month
March, 28 2022
On August 26, 1920, U.S. Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby certified the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, granting women the right to vote. It was the culmination of a seven-decade fight that would lay the groundwork for—and inspire—future generations of women to become actively engaged in the electoral process. In celebration of Women’s History Month, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) honors the women who led the fight for the right to vote and the historic role women have played to ensure safe, fair, and accessible elections for all Americans.
Voting System Testing Update – February 3, 2022
February, 07 2022
This blog is an effort to keep everyone informed of the progress of voting systems that are currently in the EAC’s Testing and Certification Program.
Since its passage on this date nearly two decades ago, the 2002 Help America Vote Act (HAVA) has served as a pillar of support for our nation’s electoral system – directing a bipartisan approach at the federal level to improving the accessibility and integrity of the electoral process, development of new minimum standards for voting systems, and supporting election officials who sustain the durability of our democratic process.
What is a trusted build and why is it used?
September, 16 2021
There are many steps than must be taken for a voting system to be certified by the EAC. One of the most important of these steps is the process of creating a trusted build. But what is the trusted build and why is it required?
We download and install software and software updates regularly. How do we know these applications are safe? Should we trust the download, or should we be a little more careful about what we install on our computers. When it comes to voting systems, how do you know that the software installed by the manufacturer or someone else on your team is the certified version? When you’re buying a used car, do you trust the used-car salesperson, or do you have a trusted mechanic inspect the car before you decide to buy? Most of us would opt for the trusted mechanic.
The EAC would like to thank all who entered the 2020 National Clearinghouse Awards competition, or Clearies, for best practices and innovations in election administration. The EAC Commissioners, judges, and staff were impressed with the ingenuity and resourcefulness of election officials from large to small jurisdictions who navigated record voter turnout in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Their extraordinary efforts helped ensure successful 2020 elections.
Chairman Don Palmer met with Election Director Margaret Jurgensen and Community Engagement and Public Information Officer Dr. Gilberto Zelaya and from the Montgomery County Board of Elections to discuss best practices in election administration for the category of Outstanding Innovation in Elections for Large Jurisdictions for their SMS Short Codes. Check out this video.
EAC Vice Chairman Tom Hicks met virtually with Julie Wise, Director of Elections for King County, Washington and Peg Perl, Deputy Director of Elections for Arapahoe County, Colorado to discuss best practices in election administration for the category of Outstanding Innovation in Elections for their Voter Education Fund Project and their Curbside Ballot Pickup Program respectively. Check out this video.
Clearie Best Practices - Interview with Gary Sims
April, 27 2021
EAC Commissioner Christy McCormick met virtually with Gary Sims who is the Director of Elections for the Wake County Board of Elections in North Carolina to discuss best practices in election administration for the category of Recruiting, Retaining, and Training Poll Workers. Check out this video.
Clearie Best Practices - Interview with Amy Kelly
April, 22 2021
EAC Commissioner Ben Hovland met virtually with Cyber Navigator Program Manager for the Illinois State Board of Elections, Amy Kelly, to discuss best practices in election administration for the category of Outstanding Innovation in Cybersecurity and Technology for their Cyber Navigator Program. Check out this video.