U. S. Election Assistance 

Commission 

FY 2015 Summary of Performance and 

Financial Information

February 2016

For the EAC to assist the effective administration of Federal elections
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Purpose of the Report

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information represents the 

U.S. Election Assistance Commission’s (EAC’s) effort to provide a balanced analytical 

assessment, with both positive and negative information, of key program and financial 

performance. 

VISION, MISSION, MANDATES AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE 

In October 2002, Congress passed the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002. The law 

recognized the need for States to invest in their election infrastructure and set out comprehensive 

programs of funding, voluntary guidance, and research. To foster those programs and to promote 

and enhance voting for United States citizens, HAVA established the Election Assistance 

Commission. 

The vision for the EAC is to be a service agency and the go-to resource on election information, 

best practices, data, technology, technical advice and assistance for election administrators, 

officials, and voters across America. The mission is for the EAC to assist the effective 

administration of Federal elections. 

The EAC is an independent, bipartisan agency. Four full-time Commissioners, appointed by the 

President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, and three Federal advisory committees -- the 

Standards Board, Board of Advisors, and Technical Guidelines Development Committee -- guide 

the EAC. At the present time, there are three Commissioners leading the agency. 

The EAC is statutorily required to: 

• Create a clearinghouse of information for election officials and the public; 

• Distribute and monitor HAVA funds to States for election administration improvements; 

• Issue, periodically review and modify, as necessary, Voluntary Voting System Guidelines 

(VVSG); 

• Accredit voting system test laboratories and certify voting equipment; 

• Conduct periodic studies of election administration issues as determined by the 

Commission; 

• Establish best practices and guidelines on election administration for State and local 

election officials; 

• Maintain the national voter registration form developed in accordance with the National 

Voter Registration Act (NVRA) of 1993; and

• Provide Congress with a biennial report to assess the impact of the NVRA. 

The goals and organizational structure of the agency are built around these mandates: 

1. Communicate timely and accurate information on the effective administration of elections for 

Federal office and on the operations and services offered by the EAC. 

2. Deliver and manage Federal funds effectively. 

3. Identify and develop information on areas of pressing concern regarding the administration 

of elections for Federal office, issue recommended improvements, guidance, translations, and 
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best practices as required by HAVA, and carry out responsibilities under the National Voter 

Registration Act. 

4. Build public confidence in elections by testing and certifying voting systems to improve 

system security, operation, and accessibility. 

The Standards Board and the Board of Advisors provide advice and guidance to the EAC on 

Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG) and other election administration issues. In 

addition, the Technical Guidelines Development Committee (TGDC) assists the EAC in the 

preparation of the VVSG. The VVSG sets the standards against which voting systems are tested. 

The Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) of the U.S. 

Department of Commerce serves as the Chair of the TGDC and provides technical support to the 

Committee. Additionally, HAVA specifies that NIST provide recommendations to the EAC 

regarding voting system test laboratories. 

SUMMARY PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The following table presents key strategic objectives reflected in the EAC’s FY 2015 program 

performance data. More detailed performance information is presented, and variances discussed, 

in the FY 2015 Annual Performance Report along with the FY 2017 Congressional Justification. 

EAC FY 2015 Performance Summary

Indicator

FY 2011 

Actual

FY 2012 

Actual

FY 2013 

Actual

FY 2014 

Actual

FY 2015 

Planned

FY 2015 

Actual

Operate the EAC clearinghouse effectively. 

Post up-to-date, accurate, 

relevant and consistent 

information on the 

website, using state-ofthe-art technologies 

within 24 hours of 

receipt. 

100% of data 

posted in 24 

hours

100% of data 

posted in 24 

hours 

100% of data 

posted in 24 

hours 

100% of data 

posted in 24 

hours

Post 100% of 

data in 24 hours

100% of data 

posted in 24 

hours

Convey the results of the EAC’s operations and accomplishments. 

Regularly issue blog 

posts, press releases, 

newsletters, email 

alerts to subscribers, 

and notifications to 

stakeholders and 

staff on the EAC’s 

activities and 

election 

administration 

issues. 

28 press 

releases, 50 

newsletters, 52 

weekly staff 

updates; 

initiated blog 

and twitter 

accounts

4 press 

releases, 42 

newsletters, 52 

weekly staff 

updates, 3 

ongoing blogs 

on election 

topics on FAQs 

and timesensitive data 

67 blog posts in 

lieu of press 

releases, 29 

newsletters, 29 

emails to 

subscribers, 52 

weekly staff 

updates

58 blog posts 

in lieu of 

press releases, 

21 newsletters, 36 

emails to 

subscribers, 

52 weekly 

staff updates

30 blog posts, 5 

press releases, 12 

newsletters, 30 

emails to 

subscribers, 52 

weekly staff 

updates

34 blog posts, 5 

press releases, 

16 newsletters, 

33 emails to 

subscribers, 52 

weekly staff 

updates

Effectively monitor Federal financial assistance administered by the EAC. 

Resolve 100 percent of 

audit findings within 

established time frames. 

No overdue 

management 

decisions 

85% audit 

resolution

100% audit 

resolution

88% audit 

resolution (7 

out of 8 

audits)

100% audit 

resolution

60% audit 

resolution (3 out 

of 5 audits)
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Provide technical assistance and guidance on the management of Federal financial assistance administered by the EAC to 

reduce the risk of inappropriate use of funds and accounting errors. 

Submit all recommended 

policy and guidance 

concerning the 

administration of Federal 

financial assistance 

administered by the EAC 

to the Commissioners 

within established time 

frames. 

Submitted 1 

Advisory 

Opinion before 

quorum was lost

N/A N/A N/A 100% 100% -- 10 

Advisory 

Opinions and a 

policy 

expediting 

responses to 

routine use of 

funds adopted

Collect and release data on certain election administration practices, on various voting methods and on various voting 

practices that are useful and required by HAVA. 

Issue required reports 

(data on the Uniformed 

and Overseas Citizens 

Absentee Voting Act, 

and impact of the 

National Voter 

Registration Act) to 

Congress by statutory 

deadlines, and the 

biennial report on the 

Election Administration 

and Voting Survey.

3 reports 

submitted 

6/30/2011

N/A 3 reports 

submitted 

6/30/2013

N/A Submit 1 

consolidated 

report by 

6/30/2015

1 consolidated 

report submitted 

6/30/2015

Administer programs and release information which provides timely and useful guidance for election officials and voters. 

Produce and distribute 

Quick Tip Guides 

(concise tips on a wide 

range of election topics 

with links to best 

practices in the 

administration of Federal 

elections) and 

Guidebooks. 

Conducted 3 

teleconferences 

with the EAC 

College Poll 

Worker and 

Mock Election 

grantees to 

solicit feedback 

for updating the 

Guidebook for 

Recruiting 

College Poll 

Workers

Developed a 

guide, “Voting 

Tips To 

Enhance Your 

Voting Experience,” and 

distributed 

30,000 copies 

to the 55 State 

(50 States, 

American 

Samoa, District 

of Columbia, 

Guam, Puerto 

Rico, U.S. 

Virgin Islands) 

election offices

Created and 

widely distributed, “Voter 

Tips” cards; 

conducted 9 

webinars for 

election officials 

on Best 

Practices in 

Election 

Management. 

Data gathered 

used for new 

Quick Tips

Published 4 

new 

downloadable Quick 

Tips; wrote 

and posted 

fliers: “10 

Tips to 

Enhance Your 

Voting 

Experience,” 

and “14 Facts 

About Voting 

in Federal 

Elections” (in 

7 languages)

Issue and 

distribute new 

Quick Tip Guides

Issued 13 new 

Quick Tip 

Guides in a 

toolkit, 

distributed 300 

sets to State 

election 

administrators
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Develop and update the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines. 

Produce updates to the 

Voluntary Voting System 

Guidelines (VVSG). 

Performed 

ongoing work 

with NIST to 

complete a 

revision to 

VVSG 1.1

Received a 

revised version 

of VVSG 1.1 

from NIST, 

incorporated 

NIST 

comments and 

responses to 

new Requests 

For Interpretation (RFIs) 

into the guidelines; posted 

the second

draft version 

for Public 

Comment 

Received public 

comments on 

the second draft 

revision to 

VVSG 1.1, 

worked with 

NIST to resolve 

comments and 

prepare VVSG 

1.1 revised draft 

for final 

formatting

Pending 

adoption

Adopt VVSG 1.1 Adopted VVSG 

1.1; initiated 

development of 

the next 

generation 

VVSG document; created a 

working group 

plan with TGDC 

and NIST,

focusing on 

subjects 

Administer the testing, certification, decertification, and recertification of voting system hardware and software by accredited 

laboratories. 

Test and certify voting 

systems. 

Certified 1 full 

system, and 1 

system 

modification; 

performed 

testing for 11 

voting systems 

and system 

modifications

Certified 4 

voting systems 

and published a 

certification 

timeline for a 

fifth system; 

conducted 

testing 

campaigns for 

4 systems 

Certified 3 

voting systems; 

conducted test 

campaigns for 7 

systems

Certified 6 

voting 

systems; 

worked on 

test 

campaigns for 

5 systems

Test and certify

voting systems

Certified 6 

voting systems; 

managed test 

campaigns for 3 

systems

Implement a high performance organization--improve performance, strengthen internal controls, and maximize efficiencies. 

Obtain an unmodified 

(“clean”) opinion on the 

annual agency financial 

statement audit. 

Clean opinion 

received

Disclaimer 

opinion 

received

Disclaimer 

opinion received

Clean opinion 

received

Obtain a clean 

opinion

Unmodified 

(“clean”)

opinion with no 

findings

received

Implement 90 percent of 

the Office of the 

Inspector General 

financial statement and 

operational audit 

recommendations within 

agreed upon timeframes. 

100% of FY

2010 financial 

recommendations 

implemented on 

time; 97.6% of 

operations audit 

recommendations made prior 

to FY10 

resolved (2 of 

82 outstanding)

97.6% of 

operational 

audit recommendadations 

resolved 

97.6% of 

operational audit 

recommendations resolved 

97.6% of 

operational 

audit recommendations 

resolved 

100% 97.6% of 

operational audit 

recommendations resolved

FINANCIAL RESULTS

The following analysis is intended to provide information on the EAC’s financial results, 

position, and condition as portrayed in the financial statements and the notes to the statements. 

Changes in assets, liabilities, costs, revenues, obligations, and outlays are explained; 

comparisons are made between amounts in FY 2015 to FY 2014; and the relevance of balances 
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and amounts in the financial statements and notes are discussed. The changes provide context as 

to how the year’s activities impacted the agency’s financial position. 

Budgetary Resources 

Budgetary resources are the amounts made available and their status at the end of the fiscal year. 

The majority of the EAC’s available budgetary resources are in the no year Election Reform 

Program appropriation. Budgetary resources include new Budget Authority from annual Salaries 

and Expenses appropriations, unpaid obligations, recoveries, offsetting collections, and 

unobligated balances. 

For Fiscal Year (FY) 2015, the available budgetary resources were $21.0 million, up from $19.9 

million in FY 2014. In both FY 2015 and FY 2014, the EAC’s appropriations totaled $10 million 

for Salaries and Expenses, including a $1.9 million non-expenditure transfer to NIST. 

Obligations Incurred decreased from $6.5 million in FY 2014 to $6.3 million in FY 2015. The 

decrease was due primarily to the disbursement of FYs 2009 to 2011 Requirements Payments. 

The Unobligated Balance – Apportioned amount increased from $4.2 million in FY 2014 to $5.1 

million in FY 2015. 

Financial Position

Assets: The EAC had $22.8 million in total assets (Fund Balance with Treasury; Accounts 

Receivable; Property, Equipment, and Software; and Other Assets) as of September 30, 2015, 

down from $25.9 million in FY 2014. The decrease is primarily the result of collection of an 

improper Requirements Payment of almost $2.3 million. 

Liabilities: The EAC had total liabilities (Accounts Payable, accrued salaries and benefits, and 

unfunded leave) of $3.5 million as of September 30, 2014 and $765,867 as of September 30, 

2015. 

Net Position: Net position (Unexpended Appropriations and Cumulative Results of Operations) 

decreased in FY 2015 to $22.0 million from $22.3 million in FY 2014. Unexpended 

Appropriations decreased primarily due to disbursement of Requirements Payments. 

Results of Operations

The Total Net Cost of Operations (expenses in the Salaries and Expenses, and Election Reform 

Programs appropriations) for the EAC was $7.7 million for Fiscal Year 2015, down from $7.9 

million in FY 2014. 

MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES IDENTIFIED BY THE INSPECTOR GENERAL

The EAC’s Inspector General reported on two categories of management challenges in 2015: 

performance management and accountability, and records management. The former consists of 

pending recommended Communications and Clearinghouse policy and procedures. A 

communications plan is underway. 
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Regarding records management, the EAC expects to submit records retention schedules for the 

offices of Communications; Research, Policy, and Programs (RPP); and Testing and 

Certification during FY 2016. The EAC’s assigned Archivist from the National Archives and 

Records Administration determined, based on her review, that the vast majority of the EAC’s

records are within the General Records Schedule (GRS). As such, Human Resources, Chief 

Financial Officer, Grants, Commissioners/Executive Office, Chief Information Officer, General 

Counsel, Inspector General, and National Voter Registration Act records are completed. The 

EAC concurs with the status of the records for Communications, RPP, and Testing and 

Certification, and with the statement on the plan for organizing and archiving the EAC’s emails. 

Links to documents:

FY 2015 Agency Financial Report:

http://www.eac.gov/assets/1/Documents/FY%2015%20EAC%20Agency%20Financial%20Repo

rt%20Nov%2013%202015%20Final-website.pdf

FY 2015 Annual Performance Report:

http://www.eac.gov/assets/1/Documents/Appendix%20APR%20FY%2015%20Feb%209%2020

16%20FINAL.pdf

FY 2017 Congressional Budget Justification:

http://www.eac.gov/assets//Documents/FY%202017%20CBJ%20Feb%209%202016%20FINAL

.pdf