Transcript United States Election Assistance Commission Inspiring Change & Modernization in Election Administration Seattle, WA June 10, 2015 www.eac.gov.

United States
Election Assistance Commission
Inspiring Change & Modernization
in Election Administration
Seattle, WA
June 10, 2015
www.eac.gov
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About the EAC
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Created in the aftermath of 2000 Election
Bipartisan Agency (2Ds/2Rs)
Had been without a quorum for 4 years
We are back and running!
Tasked with:
– Testing and Certification
– Election Day Survey
– Best Practices and Guidance
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The Past
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Features of the Past
• Largely logistical in nature
• Stable but not flexible
• Election officials were largely process
managers/accountants
• Simple & easy to understand for most
• Questions around voter intent and definition
of a vote
• Limited accessibility/usability
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HAVA Systems
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Features of HAVA Systems
• Equipment is more complex
• Monolithic voting system with custom
hardware
• Process has gone from largely logistical to
IT used to manage the logistics
• Increased efficiencies with technology
• Increased access/usability
• Ability to innovate around the voting
system
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The future is now!
• Stating the Obvious: The equipment is old!
• PCEA called out the oncoming “voting
system crisis”
• Voters expect voting to look like their lives
– People with regular internet access has doubled
– People with access to cell phones has gone
from 68% to over 90%
– iPhone offered 3 years AFTER purchase of
most equipment
Innovation is Happening
• Modernizing in other areas of elections:
– Ballot delivery systems
– COTS based systems
– Online registration
– Ballot-on-demand
– Election night reporting
– Electronic Pollbooks
• States looking at how to evaluate emerging tech
– EAC does not test and certify
– E-pollbook requirements/RFP’s
Interaction of Voting and Election Systems
(re)Districting
VR System
Voter
Information/
Education
Candidate
Qualifying
Audits
Pollworker/
Staff
Training
E-pollbooks
Voting System
Capture
UOCAVA /
Ballot
Delivery
Tabulation
Ballot
Marking
System
Ballot on
Demand
Administrative
Reports
Voter
Ballot
Printers
Election Night
Reporting
Voter
Authentication
Systems
Innovation is happening
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Innovation is happening
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Features of the future?
• Flexible configurable systems
• Data compatibility & sharing
• Greater demand on election officials as
integrator
• Greater focus on the voting experience
• Universal design for accessibility
• Increased security built in to system
• Increased auditability
• Sustainable
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What does this mean?
• More and more election officials are being
asked to be IT managers:
– Manage co-dependent IT systems
– Analyze Risk
– Evaluate current and future systems for
application to operation
– Educate on challenges and needs
– Manage and protect the data within the systems
– Every election is a pilot
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EAC Programs
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Testing and certification program
Election day survey
Management guidelines
Language accessibility
Grants management
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EAC Testing & Certification
• Voluntary Program
– States pick and choose how they use the program
– 47 of 50 states use some aspect of the program
– Colorado requires testing by an accredited lab
• Test and certify voting systems to set of
requirements
– Idea is provide a baseline of performance
– Currently considering updates to the standards and
program
Voting System Certification
EAC Certification
State Certification
Local Testing
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Federal Certification
• How does it work?
– Systems tested to comprehensive set of
standards
• Usability/Accessibility
• Security
• Functionality
– Systems MUST meet all requirements
– Purpose is to provide a baseline of functionality
so states and locals can test to their needs
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EAC Testing & Certification
• More than just a sticker
– Unique knowledge of the systems
– Work with state & local officials
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Monitor Performance
Maintain aging equipment
Develop RFP’s ([email protected])
Share info regarding issues in the
field
EAC Moving Forward
– Modernize the program to encourage innovation instead
of stifle it through overly prescriptive standards
– Recognize that in order for the program to work it must
operate at election speed.
– Keep the requirements simple and understandable so all
stakeholders are invested in the process
– Keep the testing process affordable so the costs aren’t
passed down to you
– Working to develop a common data format
State/Local Testing
• Many states test to state specific set of
requirements for certification
• RFP requirements serve as another
important set of requirements
• Acceptance Testing = local election official
certification
• Logic & Accuracy testing also important
information loop
• Post election audits
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Election Day Survey
• Most comprehensive set of data
available
• This data is critical:
– Benchmarking
– Budgeting/Justification
• We must do better:
– Easier to complete
– Easier to digest
– IEEE data format
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Language Accessibility
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Spanish
Chinese
Japanese
Korean
Tagalog
Vietnamese
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Election Official Resources
Final Thoughts
• Look at the systems and operation with a
critical eye
– What are your goals and can technology help?
– What do you want systems to do?
– What shouldn’t they do?
• Think like an IT manager!
• Understand your role in evaluation process
and be active
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Thank you!
• We need to hear from you!
– What areas do you need help or resources?
– What are your best practices or innovations?
• EAC Standards Board/TGDC
– Stuart Holmes
– Kristina Swanson
– Lori Augino
• Thank you for all that you do!
Contact us!
Matthew Masterson
Commissioner
[email protected]
INSERT PHONE NUMBER!
www.eac.gov
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