Modification brings system into compliance with VVSG 1.0
Silver Spring, Md. – The Election Assistance Commission today certified a modification to Unisyn Voting Solutions, Inc.’s OpenElect Voting System 1.3.0.2. voting system, verifying its compliance with current federal standards. The determination came after a thorough test campaign conducted by EAC and Pro V&V in Huntsville, Ala., the commission’s newest testing lab.
The OpenElect Voting System 1.3.0.2. is the sixth Unisyn Voting Solutions, Inc. system certified as meeting federal standards, including modifications. This system meets the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines 1.0 (VVSG 1.0) established in 2005. At least 47 states now use the EAC’s Testing and Certification program in some way when deciding which voting system to procure. Today’s modification marks the 40th EAC certification completed in coordination with 5 voting system vendors.
Last year marked the 10th anniversary of the EAC’s Testing and Certification program, which is the most successful and most implemented voting machine testing and certification program in the nation. The Testing and Certification program was a requirement of the Help America Vote Act 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 the federal government funded these activities, a step that allowed states to procure new certified voting systems without the added expense of independent testing and certification.
The EAC is currently partnering with a diverse working group comprised of representatives from the election community, public sector, private sector and interest groups to develop the next iteration of the election system testing and certification guidelines, VVSG 2.0. Last month, a set of 17 core voting system functions that will guide the VVSG 2.0 were adopted by the Technical Guidelines Development Committee. The new system testing guidelines are expected to be released in 2018 and will become the highest standard against which voting systems can be commercially tested in the United States.
For more information about today’s announcement, please contact Brenda Bowser Soder at [email protected] or 301-563-3951. You can learn more about the EAC’s Testing and Certification program at www.eac.gov.
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The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) was established by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA). It is an independent, bipartisan commission charged with ensuring secure, accurate and accessible elections by developing guidance to meet HAVA requirements, adopting voluntary voting system guidelines, and serving as a national clearinghouse of information on election administration. EAC also accredits testing laboratories and certifies voting systems, as well as administers the use of HAVA funds. For more information, visit www.eac.gov.