Press Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Thursday March 4, 2021
Annual “Clearie” Awards promote the development and use of best practices in election administration
Donald Palmer Begins Term as EAC Chairman
February, 24 2021
PRESS RELEASE
February 24, 2021
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Commissioner Donald Palmer began his year-long term as Chairman of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC). Chairman Palmer will continue to serve alongside newly-elected EAC Vice Chairman Thomas Hicks, and EAC Commissioners Christy McCormick and Ben Hovland.
PRESS RELEASE
February 17, 2021
Results show progress made but obstacles remain for voters with disabilities
For Immediate Release
February 10, 2021
Updated guidelines pave way for next generation of voting systems across the country
For Immediate Release
January 25, 2021
For Immediate Release
December 1, 2020
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
Vote by Mail Trends and Turnout in Six Election Cycles: 2008-2018
October, 22 2020
Many states are expanding and encouraging the use of vote by mail options for the 2020 elections, largely due to voter safety concerns posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. While these concerns have elevated the topic of voting by mail nationally, data shows that voters have utilized the option to vote absentee or by mail in increasing numbers for the last decade.
EAC Vice Chairman Donald Palmer spoke with Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate and Lieutenant Colonel Lawrence Yazzie from the Iowa National Guard about how they have worked together since 2018 to secure elections and Election Day in the state. The interview explored some key considerations for election administrators and National Guard members with regard to distributing personal protective equipment and sanitation supplies to localities, as well as improving the cybersecurity of elections in their state.
EAC Commissioner Thomas Hicks was joined by Lou Ann Blake (Deputy Executive Director, National Federation of the Blind), Lee Page (Associate Director of Advocacy, Paralyzed Veterans of America), Derek Bowens (Director of Elections, Durham County, NC), and Brett Harbage (ADA Coordinator, Office of the Ohio Secretary of State) for the first Virtual Roundtable to Assist Voters with Disabilities and Election Off
EAC Vice Chairman Donald Palmer was joined by Meagan Wolfe (Wisconsin Election Commission Administrator) and Brigadier General Robyn Blader (Wisconsin National Guard) for a Zoom interview to discuss how they worked together to utilize the National Guard for Election Day this spring.
Voting System Testing Update – June 25, 2020
June, 25 2020
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.
Updates to EAC’s Election Security Preparedness Page
May, 18 2020
Authors: Jessica Bowers, Joshua Michael Franklin
Voting System Testing Update – May 4, 2020
May, 04 2020
This blog is an effort to keep everyone informed of the progress of voting systems that are in the EAC’s Testing and Certification Program.
Addressing Accessibility and Security: EAC’s 2020 Elections Forum
February, 28 2020
Last week, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) hosted the 2020 Elections Disability, Accessibility, and Security Forum. The day-long gathering featured discussions on pressing issues to voters with disabilities and election officials amidst growing security needs.
Voting System Anomaly Reporting - January 28, 2020
January, 28 2020
With the 2020 election year kicking in to full swing, I thought it was a great time to remind everyone of an important pillar of the EAC’s Testing and Certification program – voting system anomaly reporting. These reports help the EAC identify areas for improvement within our program, improve manufacturing quality, share information among jurisdictions who use similar systems, and increase voter confidence in the technology they use to cast their ballots.