WASHINGTON, DC — On April 28 and 29, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) held its 2026 annual meeting for the Board of Advisors in its Washington, DC, hearing room. The board features 35 members from various EAC stakeholder associations, federal government agencies, and Congress. This meeting comes two weeks after the agency gathered about 150 state and local election officials in Chicago, Illinois, for the Local Leadership Council (LLC) and the Standards Board annual meetings.
EAC Chairman Thomas Hicks, Vice Chair Christy McCormick, and Commissioner Ben Hovland issued the following joint statement:
“Through these meetings, we heard directly from election officials and stakeholders from every region of our country. The input from board members helps the EAC understand the needs of those we serve and prioritize the agency’s resources.
Over these three meetings, members were enthusiastic about the assistance the agency provides to election officials. They emphasized the importance of federal resources for election security and technology, professional training, and support for voter education and engagement efforts. These election leaders also stressed the need for increased, consistent federal and local funding critical to efforts such as updating election equipment to the latest standards. We know how busy federal election years are, and we appreciate the time, expertise, and thoughtful feedback members provided to the agency.”
EAC Commissioners and staff led conversations with members on the testing and certification of voting systems, including the agency’s proposed Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG) 2.1 and the Election Supporting Technology Evaluation Program (ESTEP). EAC staff also shared information on improvements to the Election Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS), the expansion of training opportunities, and the latest on the distribution of Help America Vote Act (HAVA) Grant funds. Federal election partners from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Service, and the United States Postal Inspection Service answered questions from Standards Board members and highlighted available resources.
The Board of Advisors and the Standards Board also elected new members to the executive committee.
The new Board of Advisors’ executive committee includes:
- Christine Walker, Jackson County (Oregon) Clerk, Chair
- Eric Fey, St. Louis County (Missouri) Director of Elections, Chair-Elect
- Lisa Marra, Arizona State Election Director, Secretary
The new Standards Board executive committee includes:
- Jamie Shew, Douglas County (Kansas) Clerk, Chair
- Dwight Shellman, County Regulation & Support Manager, Colorado State Elections Division, Vice Chair
- Kathy Placencia, Rhode Island Director of Elections, Secretary
The Standards Board consists of 55 state election officials selected by their respective chief state election official and 55 local election officials selected through a process supervised by the chief state election official.
The Local Leadership Council consists of 100 members. The EAC appoints two members from each state after soliciting nominations from each state’s election official professional association.
More information is available on eac.gov/events.