U.S. ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION

FISCAL YEAR 2020

 CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET JUSTIFICATION

 March 18, 2019
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Vision and Mission .................................................................................................................................5

FY 2020 Priority Goals............................................................................................................................5

Appropriations Language......................................................................................................................5

FY 2018 Accomplishment Highlights....................................................................................................6

Agency Background............................................................................................................................8

Goals and Structure................................................................................................................................9

Organization Chart...............................................................................................................................10

Operating Plan Summary......................................................................................................................11

FY 2020 Budget Request Highlights...................................................................................................11

Budgetary Changes...............................................................................................................................14

Budget Requests and Performance Measures by Goal...................................................................14

Information Technology........................................................................................................................25

Status of Management Challenges.....................................................................................................25

Improper Payments...............................................................................................................................25

Mandated Reports to Congress...........................................................................................................26

Attachment A – OIG Budget Request in Detail
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VISION AND MISSION

Vision

A trusted, proactive, and responsive federal agency that helps election officials administer and voters 

participate in elections.

Mission 

The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) helps election officials improve the administration of 

elections and helps voters participate in elections.

 

 

FY 2020 Priority Goals

1. Contribute to the cyber-resilience of the American election administration system.

2. Administer the 2020 Election Administration and Voting Survey, the Election Assistance 

Commission (EAC) instrument used to collect State-by-State data on the administration of 

Federal elections. 

3. Adopt the newest version of the EAC’s Voluntary Voting Systems Guidelines and educate EAC 

stakeholders on the contents and impact of the new version.

4. Actively engage with stakeholders and stakeholder groups that represent them.

Appropriations Language

For necessary expenses to carry out the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-252), 

[$10,100,000] $11,995,000, of which [$1,500,000] $1,500,000 shall be transferred to the National 

Institute of Standards and Technology for election reform administration activities authorized under the 

Help America Vote Act of 2002 and of which $2,400,000 shall remain available until September 30, 2021

for the relocation of the agency.

Salaries and Expenses Resources Available for Obligation

FY 2018

Enacted

FY 2019

Annualized CR

FY 2020

President’s Budget

FTE Dollars FTE Dollars FTE Dollars

29 $10,100,000 31 $10,100,000 32 $11,995,000
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Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Accomplishment Highlights

The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) is a trusted, proactive, and responsive bipartisan federal 

commission that helps election officials administer and voters participate in elections. Established by 

the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA), EAC serves as the nation’s clearinghouse for information on 

election administration, conducts the Election Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS), develops and 

manages the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG), accredits testing laboratories and certifies 

voting systems, administers and audits HAVA funds, and administers the National Mail Voter 

Registration Form in accordance with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. From coast-to-coast, 

EAC is providing services for state and local election officials and the voters they serve. Among EAC’s 

most notable accomplishments during Fiscal Year 2018 are the following:

Disbursement of $380 Million in 2018 HAVA Election Security Funds

On March 23, 2018, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 was signed into law, making $380 

million available to states to improve the administration of federal elections, the first new 

appropriations for HAVA funds since FY2010. The EAC was charged to administer these funds to states. 

With the 2018 midterms not far off, the EAC worked to make funds available to states as quickly as 

possible so they can have an immediate impact. The Payments and Grants Management Division sent 

all eligible states and territories grant award notification letters in early April less than a month after 

the bill was signed into law. The letter allowed states to incur costs, with prior EAC approval, against 

the forthcoming grant awards, effective the date of the notification letter. Funds were then available 

for states to draw down and deposit in their state election accounts after they returned signed grant 

documents and the required certifications and assurances.

As election officials across the nation prepared for the upcoming midterm elections, they wasted no 

time in requesting HAVA funds and developing their plans to bolster election security and 

administration. By July, the EAC announced each of the 55 eligible states and territories had requested 

100 percent of the newly appropriated HAVA funds and an 88 percent or $333,921,264 had already 

been transferred into state accounts.

By mid-September 2018, all 55 states and U.S territories had submitted their final security plans and 

budgets and 100 percent of the 380 million had been disbursed. States must provide an annual 

standard Federal Financial Report and program narrative for each fiscal year and will be audited by the 

EAC’S Inspector General. 

Research

In FY18, the EAC's research team created a suite of new reports and tools leveraging data from the 

2016 Election Administration and Voting Survey, and undertook a number of key activities supporting 

the 2018 EAVS and accompanying Election Administration and Policy Survey. Additionally, the EAC 

published four election data issue briefs called EAVS Deep Dives. These briefs took an in-depth look at 

four categories of data collected through the 2016 EAVS and earlier iterations of the survey: 

1) early, absentee, and mail voting;

2) poll workers and polling places;

3) election technology; and
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4) provisional ballots

The election data issue briefs provided analysis that helps demonstrate the changing landscape of U.S. 

elections, including the steady expansion of alternatives to traditional in-person Election-Day voting, 

the rapid increase of the use of online voter registration, and the rise in electronic poll book usage, 

among other important findings.

Furthermore, the EAC distributed the 2018 EAVS and Policy Survey to the states, developed a plan to 

provide targeted technical assistance to survey respondents, began collecting responses to the 2018 

Policy Survey, and started development of a pilot program to conduct the EAVS in an online format. 

These and other activities planned for FY19 are expected to ease the burden on survey respondents, 

improve data quality and completeness, and make EAVS data more accessible to end users. EAC plans 

to continue using EAVS data to drive new resources, such as state-by-state fact sheets, its data 

interactive tool that permits election officials to compare their jurisdictions with locations of like size 

and resources across the country.

Election Technology

In 2018, EAC focused on finalizing the next steps of the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines 2.0 (VVSG). 

The VVSG are a set of specifications and requirements against which voting systems can be tested to 

determine if they systems meet required standards. The structure of the new VVSG reflects 

modifications proposed by the election community; EAC; NIST; and the Technical Guidelines 

Developmental Committee (TGDC), which is comprised of election officials, voting system 

manufacturers, disability experts, cybersecurity experts, technology experts, and other key election 

stakeholders. 

The new guidelines are a high-level set of principles that will be 

supplemented by accompanying documents that detail specific 

requirements for how systems can meet the new guidelines and 

obtain certification.

Supplemental documents will also detail the requirements for building voting systems that meet and 

the assertions for how the accredited test laboratories will verify if voting systems conform with the 

guidelines. In April, the EAC Standards Board and Board of Advisors passed resolutions recommending 

that the EAC move forward with the process of considering the draft VVSG 2.0 Principles and Guidelines 

document for full adoption. Both boards passed an amendment to the resolution recommending that 

the EAC adopt, within the Testing and Certification Program Quality & Program Manual, a process for 

VVSG 2.0 requirements and Test Assertions to be updated in the absence of a quorum of EAC 

Commissioners. Now with a full quorum, the commission will be able to vote on whether to adopt 

them.

Election Accessibility

Language Accessibility

EAC convened its third Language Access for Voters Summit in July 2018. The summit was co-sponsored 

by Democracy Fund Voice, a nonpartisan not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping America build 

a stronger, healthier democracy. Citizens for whom English is a second language may need language 
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assistance when voting, such as having ballots and voting materials translated into their native 

languages. Federal law requires over 250 jurisdictions nationwide provide language assistance based on 

Census results. Election officials, advocates, and voters were given the opportunity to interact with, 

educate, and learn from experts and the officials who impact voters with limited English proficiency’s 

voting experience every election cycle. 

Physical Accessibility

EAC also continued its work of assisting voters with disabilities. The EAC’s Commissioners spent time in 

FY 2018 engaging Americans with disabilities to find ways the EAC and election officials across the 

nation can improve the voting experience for voters with disabilities. In June 2018, the Commissioners 

chaired an open plenary session at the Nation Disability Rights Network’s national conference in 

Baltimore, MD. The session included an interactive conversation with voters, who detailed their 

experiences at the poll and provided feedback about what improvements could be made. Earlier in the 

year, commissioners conducted a similar conversation during the Association of Programs for Rural and 

independent Living’s (APRIL) annual conference in Spokane, Washington.

Election Efficiency

Beyond the topics mentioned above, the core duties of election administrators also include activities

such as:

 maintaining accurate voter registration lists,

 recruiting and training poll workers, 

 procuring new election equipment, 

 providing Americans with access to voter registration, and

 contingency planning. 

Throughout FY 2018, EAC launched a variety of new resources, provided 

best practices guidance, hosted public meetings, conducted social 

media campaigns, and undertook a variety of other efforts to ensure 

that election officials have access to the tools they need to carry out 

these responsibilities successfully.

As we look ahead, we will build on the successes of FY 2018 and continue to be the federal agency that 

election officials and the voters they serve can count on for the latest resources and information about 

election administration. Our talented team and our broad spectrum of partners remain committed to 

helping America vote through secure, accessible, and efficient elections. The justification that follows 

details how we plan to carry out that work in FY 2020, building on the EAC’s strategic plan. 

Agency Background:

Congress established the U.S. Election Assistance Commission with the passage of the Help America 

Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA). The Commission was created to help election officials and administrators 

improve elections around the country. Statutorily, EAC is headed by four bipartisan Commissioners 

appointed by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Currently, there are four Commissioners, 

constituting a quorum. 
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HAVA also created the Board of Advisors, the Standards Board, and the TGDC to advise EAC. The three 

groups advise the agency and help it achieve its mission, including but not limited to process of 

developing of the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines. 

HAVA dictates the membership of the three statutory groups. The Standards Board is a 110-member 

board consisting of 55 state election officials (the 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, 

Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands) selected by their respective chief state election official, and 

55 local election officials selected through a process supervised by the chief state election officials. 

The Board of Advisors is comprised of representatives from groups representing governors; mayors; 

state legislatures; secretaries of state; state election directors; county recorders; election officials;

clerks; voter advocacy groups; federal agencies; and professionals in the fields of science and 

technology. 

TGDC helps EAC develop its Voluntary Voting System Guidelines. It is composed of 14 members 

appointed jointly by EAC and the Director of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of 

Standards and Technology (NIST), who is the chairperson of TGDC.

Goals and Structure:

EAC’s offices are aligned to address the mandates of the Help America Vote Act to: serve as a 

clearinghouse of information on voting; test and certify voting systems; administer and maintain the 

National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) voter registration form; assist States with administration of 

HAVA funds; and report to Congress on NVRA and Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting 

Act voting activity.

The EAC’s FY18-22 strategic plan sets forth four strategic goals and thirteen strategic objectives. The 

four strategic goals are as follows:

1) Expand the nation’s comprehensive understanding of election administration;

2) Proactively and responsively create products that help election officials improve the 

administration of elections and help voters more easily participate in elections;

3) Help election officials improve the administration of American elections through the 

distribution of EAC assistance and products; and

4) Ensure continued effective operation of the EAC in order to achieve its goals while acting as 

good stewards of public funds.

The EAC uses a cost allocation model that distributes administrative costs to program goals, and this 

model is used to present the FY2020 agency budget request. The Commission’s financial models are

reviewed by EAC’s independent financial statement auditors.
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Organization Chart
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Operating Plan Summary

Salaries and Expenses FY 18 Enacted

FY 2019

Annualized CR

FY 20

President’s 

Budget Request

Full-Time Equivalent Staff (FTE) 29 31 32

Full-Time Staff 28 29 29

Other than Full-Time Staff 2 3 2

Payroll Full-time Personnel $3,179,179 $3,179,179 $ 3,451,957

Payroll Other than Full-time Personnel 223,399 223,399 113,538

Subtotal Personnel Compensation 3,402,578 3,402,578 3,565,495

Personnel Benefits 1,049,638 1,049,638 1,076,233

Subtotal PC&B 4,452,217 4,452,217 4,641,729

Travel 615,228 615,228 632,311

Rent, Communications, Equipment Rentals 350,537 350,537 350,486

Printing, Reproduction 21,497 21,497 18,770

Other Services 2,880,368 2,880,368 2,285,691

NIST 1,500,000 1,500,000 1,500,000 

Supplies and Subscriptions 166,988 166,988 138,809

Equipment 113,163 113,163 27,672

Agency’s Relocation Expenses 2,400,000

Subtotal, Non-personnel 5,647,783 5,647,783 7,353,271

Total Salaries and Expenses $10,100,000 $ 10,100,000 $ 11,995,000

Note: FY 2020 assumes no Cost of Living Adjustment, and no non-pay inflationary increase. 

FY 2020 Budget Request Highlights

In FY 2020, the nation will prepare to administer and participate in the 2020 general election in an 

atmosphere of unprecedented threats and challenges. Election systems are currently the focus of 

pervasive and adaptive cyber threats from empowered actors, and election officials are charged with 

growing responsibilities such as defending their cyber-systems against such threats from said actors 

and regularly interfacing with newly developed federal resources such as the Department of Homeland 

Security (DHS) Critical Infrastructure framework. It will be essential that the coming 2020 general 

elections are secure and accessible, and it will be crucial that the nation’s voters have confidence in the 

integrity of the elections. 

The EAC’s FY2020 budget justification highlights its plans to continue to help election officials efficiently 

and effectively administer secure and accessible elections as well as help voters participate in and have 

confidence in our nation’s elections. Highlights of the EAC’s plans include: a) national, state, and local 

cybersecurity assistance; b) finalizing and implementing the next version of the EAC’s Voluntary Voting 

System Guidelines (VVSG); c) gathering and distribution of election administration best practices 

including but not limited to, poll-worker recruitment and management, serving voters with disabilities, 

meeting the needs of voters with limited English proficiency, and managing and protecting cyber 

resources; d) continuing to work to ensure the effectiveness of the recently congressionally 
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appropriated election improvement funds; and e) studying and reporting on election administration 

practices

National, State, and local Cybersecurity: Helping Election Officials Leverage Federal Resources, Best 

Practices, and Their Peers

Elections infrastructure is critical infrastructure both because DHS has designated it as such and 

because it is inherently essential to the foundation of our democracy. This status makes the nation’s 

elections infrastructure both a powerful asset to the nation as well as a target for mal-intentioned 

actors seeking to disrupt and undermine the nation. This status also means increased federal resources 

are available to state and local election officials as they seek to administer secure and accessible 

elections. As the nation’s clearinghouse for election administration information and best practices; the 

distributor of federal grants for the improvement of elections infrastructure; and the co-chair of the 

Executive Committee of the Government Coordinating Council, the steering committee for DHS’s tool 

for helping to secure and monitor the security of the nation’s elections, the EAC is uniquely positioned 

to help state and local election officials understand and use these new federal resources.

The EAC is the only federal agency focused on the whole of election administration, the many 

responsibilities borne by election officials, and voters’ confidence and access to elections. The value of 

the comprehensive nature of the EAC’s congressionally crafted focus as well as its convening abilities 

has been echoed in recent congressional hearings, and they make the EAC a unique national asset. 

Multiple federal agencies are beginning to provide resources to state and local election officials to help 

them protect and secure their elections. This work is valuable, but state and local election officials 

often need help understanding these new resources and how they can fit into their current operations. 

The EAC acts in this crucial expert guiding role for state and local election officials, voters, DHS, the 

Department of Defense, the Postal Service, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 

and others. This work is identified in the EAC’s FY18 strategic plan in Objectives 3.1, 3.2, and 4.1, and 

the EAC fully expects the nation’s desire for this type of resource to increase as the nation prepares for 

the 2020 general election.

Facilitating the use of federal resources is only part of the EAC’s cybersecurity role. Election officials are 

now operators of complex IT systems that face modern, persistent, and adaptive threats from new 

types of actors, such as nation states. They need resources such as best practices in cybersecurity, 

which are a part of the EAC’s HAVA mandates, now more than ever before. The EAC currently teaches 

states and localities about how to effectively fill this new role with its “Election Officials as IT 

Managers” class, and the EAC has taken steps to make this available to more jurisdictions through the 

FedVTE platform. The EAC plans to continue to gather and distribute best cybersecurity tools, best 

practices, and assistance as it helps the country prepare for 2020.

The EAC is dedicating increased resources to understanding new cyber threats and helping election 

officials prepare to defend their systems against them. There are thousands of election administration 

systems in the U.S., and each has the potential to be a target of a cyber-attack. Many of the voting and 

election systems around the country are more than 10 years old. These systems are crucial to the 

functioning and security of the nation’s elections, and because of their age, many need to be replaced. 

The EAC plans to help election officials prepare and defend these systems under its HAVA charge.

As election officials prepare to replace their voting machines, they will look to the EAC’s Testing & 

Certification Program for guidance and the most current standard for voting machine functionality, 
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security, and accessibility. This standard, the EAC’s Voluntary Voting System Guidelines, and the EAC’s 

accompanying testing and certification program provide the only national standard for voting system 

standard setting, testing, and certification that is currently in use. The most modern version of these 

guidelines, VVSG 2.0, is currently nearing completion. In FY 2020, the EAC plans to actively manage this 

standard and test voting systems against this standard. This standard is an essential contributing factor 

when it comes to the security of our nation’s elections, and the EAC is proud to continue this work in 

the lead up the 2020 general election.

Distributing, Assisting with the Use of, and Auditing Federal Grants for the Improvement of Election 

Administration

A core component of the EAC’s mission has long been distributing, assisting with the use of, and 

auditing of federal funds. In March, 2018, Congress appropriated $380M of new federal funds and 

charged the EAC with distributing these new funds under Section 101 of the Help America Vote Act. 

Upon receiving this charge, the EAC acted quickly and distributed the funds as quickly as it responsibly 

could to the states. The EAC made the funds available to the states within three months of the 

appropriation. Now that the states have the funds, the EAC’s mission and congressional mandate 

related to them does not cease. Instead it changes. The EAC is charged with helping States best use 

these funds through its role as the nation’s clearinghouse of election administration information and 

practices, and the EAC is charged with auditing the state’s use of these funds. This work is extensive 

and will help to ensure that the funds are both being used as intended by Congress and in a manner 

that best helps improve the administration of U.S. Elections. This EAC expects this work to continue 

into and past FY2020.

Gathering and Distributing Best Practices in Election Administration: Focusing on Election Year 

Activities

Congress charged the EAC with building and managing the nation’s clearinghouse of election 

administration information in the Help America Vote Act of 2002. Since its inception, the EAC has 

fulfilled this mandate by regularly collecting, formatting, and distributing best practices in election 

administration to election officials throughout the country. The nation has more than 6,000 semiautonomous election jurisdictions, and the EAC’s clearinghouse of best practices allows them to quickly 

respond to new needs, learn from their peers’ experiences and developments around the country, and 

prevents these thousands of jurisdictions from “re-inventing the wheel.” This resource is never more 

valuable than it is in the lead up to a general election. To help election officials in this crucial time, the 

EAC plans to focus many of its FY2020 clearinghouse activities on election year activities and needs. 

These will include voter registration list maintenance, poll worker recruitment and management, poll 

location designation and management, security of polling locations and voting systems, and voter 

registration activities. The EAC is proud to support election officials as it is charged to do in HAVA, and 

it looks forward to helping them prepare for the coming 2020 election.

When voter registration lists are well maintained, voters have 

increased confidence in elections, and EAC will continue work to 

help ensure this.
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Studying Election Administration: The Election Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS) and 

Other Research

Federal law mandates that EAC collect, study, and distribute information on particular aspects of 

election administration and voting. This survey, EAVS, is the most comprehensive survey of election

administration practices and data in the country, and many election jurisdictions, federal entities, and 

academics rely on this information. The EAC administers EAVS every two years, but preparation to 

administer and evaluation of the results and methods of the survey are always an ongoing task. EAVS 

2018 will be distributed to Congress June 30, 2019, and soon after the EAC will begin working on the 

2020 survey. As the EAC continues to administer EAVS, the agency is seeking to make it easier for states 

and localities to respond to its questions and increase how much the agency and the country can use 

this powerful resource once it is complete. These objectives are further detailed in Objectives 1.1, 1.2, 

1.3, 2.1, 2.2, and 3.2 of the EAC’s current strategic plan, and the EAC looks forward to working to 

ensure that it is a high quality, accurate, and useful resource for the nation.

Budgetary Changes FY 2019 Request to FY 2020 President’s Budget Request

(in whole dollars)

Personnel Compensation and Benefits..................................................................................+$55,651

Reflects an increase of 1 and decrease of 1 intermittent employees; no cost of 

living adjustment 

Travel........................................................................................................................................+$95,134 

Increase outreach efforts 

Other Services.........................................................................................................................+$158,941

 Increase contracts -- services to assist executing mission critical activities 

Miscellaneous............................................................................................................................+$85,742 

Telecommunications and equipment rentals (+$15,244),

printing (+$7,888), supplies and subscriptions (+$53,329), equipment (+$9,281) 

 Agency’s Relocation Expenses..................................................................................................+2,400,000

 Relocation Components (+1,507,400), Facilities (+892,600)

Budget Requests and Performance Measures by Strategic Plan Goal

EAC’s request is presented in terms of four goals: 1. Analyze, 2. Build, 3. Distribute, and 4. Operate:

ANALYZE

Strategic Goal 1: Expand the nation’s comprehensive understanding of American election 

administration. $2,632,646.75

Goal 1 is led by the EAC Research and Clearinghouse Division, with input from the Communications and 

Public Affairs, Testing and Certification, and Policy Divisions. Objectives and success indicators for the 

goal are as follows:
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OBJECTIVES

Objectives of the goal include expanding EAC’s in-depth understanding of the administration of 

American elections; helping others contribute to our nation’s understanding of American election 

administration; and leveraging EAC’s research to inform agency decision-making.

SUCCESS INDICATORS

The anticipated success indicators of the goal are analysis of Election Administration and Voting Survey 

(EAVS) data that produces insights into U.S. Election Administration; successfully creating tools to make 

both responding to EAVS and analyzing EAVS data easier; increases in the number of entities providing 

information, research, and data related to U.S. election administration; and the ability to better design 

EAC assistance products to better design EAC assistance to its stakeholders.

The Election Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS)

The EAC conducts congressionally mandated research on enumerated election administration topics biannually. The Commission conducts this research through its administration of the EAC’s Election 

Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS). Through the EAVS, the EAC surveys the 50 States, the District 

of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. EAVS is the only 

comprehensive collection and report of data on election administration and voting systems of its kind. 

The survey, performed in conjunction with the Department of Defense‘s Federal Voting Assistance 

Program, collects over one million data points of information about voter registration, number of 

ballots cast, military and overseas voting, absentee ballots, polling places, poll workers, and provisional 

ballots from state election officials. The survey data is used by election officials, academics, and others 

to improve their methods, metrics, and tactics in serving voters and maintaining voter registration lists. 

The information helps inform decision making throughout the country to better administer elections, 

serve military and overseas voters, and better serve voters.

EAC Elections Clearinghouse

The U.S.’s election administration system consists of thousands of semi-autonomous election 

administration jurisdictions. Seeing the potential for these many jurisdictions to “recreate the wheel” 

when it comes to their practices, Congress charged the EAC with building and maintaining a national 

clearinghouse of election administration information and best practices. Maintaining this clearinghouse 

requires the EAC to regularly research current election administration practices and needs as well as 

collect best practices from across the country. Congress mandates that the EAC study a number of 

particular election administration topics, and the EAC must study others to effectively carry its charge 

as the national clearinghouse. More information about the congressionally mandated topics is covered 

the following section titled, The Election Administration & Voting Survey (EAVS). The additional topics 

that the EAC chooses to study are selected based on congressional mandates and the current and 

expected future needs of election officials and voters. 

Today, the clearinghouse is hosted on the EAC’s website, https://www.eac.gov, and it contains best 

practices, research, instructional videos, and white papers on a wide variety of topics such as voter 

registration, voter registration list management, poll worker recruiting and management, staff training, 

voting system information, election system procurement help, new topics such as risk limiting audits 

and critical infrastructure, and cyber security. To collect the information contained in these resources, 
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the EAC’s Commissioners regularly travel to and interview election officials throughout the country on 

their needs and practices; the EAC staff conducts research through data collection; the EAC conducts its 

annual competition of best practices in election administration; the EAC contracts with outside firms to 

conduct research; and the EAC’s Commissioners hold and conduct hearings and public meetings as well 

as round tables in which election officials can share their practices and insight with the country. 

In FY 2020, the EAC will continue to host its previously researched information and best practices on its 

public facing website, and it will continue to meet its congressional mandate by researching further 

topics. This new research will focus on election year needs of election officials and voters. The EAC will 

work to understand current and best practices relating to election year needs so that it can produce 

resources that will help election officials and voters as they prepare to administer and participate in the 

2020 elections.

The FY 2020 Request

For FY2020, the EAC requests funds to meet its Congressional mandate to research and study election 

administration. The EAC also requests funds to meet its Congressional mandates to conduct research 

which will allow the agency to serve as the national clearinghouse of election administration 

information by doing the following: 

 Studying election administration practices to produce and publish best practice resources such 

as videos, educational tools, blogs, and white papers on topics including developing and 

maintaining complex online registration databases, set up and use of accessible voting 

equipment, registering to vote, training and managing poll workers, and cybersecurity; 

 Providing regular Commissioner and staff contact with election officials to collect and share 

information; 

 Preparing to conduct the 2020 EAVS report; and 

 Conducting forums, town halls, webinars, and hearings to gather information about potential 

best practices and information pertinent to election administration by bringing together 

election officials, technology innovators, individuals with disabilities, accessibility equipment 

and voting system manufacturers, academics, computer programmers and security experts, 

voting system standards developers, and website developers and designers. 

Build

Strategic Goal 2: Proactively and responsively create products that assist election officials to 

improve election administration and help voters more easily participate in elections.

$1,930,935.13

Goal 2 is led by the EAC’s Research and Clearinghouse Division and Testing and Certification Division, 

with input from the Communications and Public Affairs Division, and the Payments and Grants Division. 

Objectives and success indicators for the goal are as follows:

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the goal are to continually create resources that help election officials improve the 

administration of elections and help voters participate in elections and help voters participate in 
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election, and to responsively and predictably create resources that respond to newly arising needs of 

election officials.

SUCCESS INDICATORS

The anticipated success indicators of the goal are designed assistance products created to fulfill a 

specific need of EAC stakeholders; feedback from EAC stakeholders indicating ease of use and 

implementation of EAC assistance; and rates of use for products by the stakeholder group that the 

product was intended to serve.

Testing & Certification of Voting Systems 

The EAC manages the only actively used, voluntary national standard for voting system testing and 

certification. The EAC also manages an accompanying testing & certification program wherein voting 

systems are tested against the EAC’s standard and certified as conforming when they successfully pass 

the standard’s tests. This standard is called the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG). States’ use 

of this standard and the EAC’s accompanying testing and certification program are voluntary, but most 

States choose to use the standard or its testing program in whole or in part. The nation’s elections are 

conducted on voting systems, and the EAC’s national standard helps states and localities, which are 

charged with selecting their own voting systems, select high-quality, secure, and accessible voting 

systems with confidence.

The EAC regularly works to ensure that it has the most up-to-date version of its VVSG, and the EAC has 

most recently been working to finalize a new version. Once finalized, this new standard will be the 

most up-to-date and modern, national standard for voting system certification. In a time of 

unprecedented threats against the nation’s voting systems, this standard will be a powerful national 

asset in ensuring the integrity of the nation’s elections. 

In FY2020, the EAC plans to continue to implement VVSG 2.0, manage testing and certification to this 

standard, manage and audit the accreditation of the private laboratories that test voting systems to the 

standard, regularly publish information regarding certified voting systems, manage updates to the 

standard, and work with states and localities to help them understand and leverage the standard.

After the finalization of VVSG 2.0, the EAC will extensively reach out to and work with states, localities 

and vendors because states and localities select the standard which their voting systems must meet, 

and private sector vendors build and sell the voting machines that the states and localities use to 

administer their elections. Through its outreach, the EAC will help states understand the contents of 

the new standard and its value as a potential standard for their use, and the EAC will help vendors 

understand how newly developed voting systems must perform to be certified to the standard. 

Through this outreach process, the EAC helps vendors produce more up-to-date voting systems for 

states and localities to use, and ultimately the EAC helps the nation use better voting systems. 

The EAC staff manages the testing and certification process for each vendor-produced voting system 

that is submitted for certification. This requires program management, oversight, and technical 

expertise. Vendors regularly submit voting systems for certification, and the agency expects an increase 

in the demand for testing and certification to be at increased levels in FY2020 because of the expected 

prior finalization of the VVSG 2.0. 

In addition to the management of the testing and certification process, the EAC also must ensure that 

the testing of voting systems is being conducted in high-quality environments. To ensure this, the EAC 
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works with NIST’s National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) to inspect, monitor, 

and accredit testing laboratories for testing of voting machines. The EAC and NVLAP use the 

international quality standard ISO 170235 to review each voting system test lab’s technical, physical 

and personnel resources, as well as its testing, management, and quality assurance policies and 

protocols. EAC monitors VSTLs through a comprehensive compliance management program and on-site 

reviews to ensure that VSTLs meet all program requirements. This testing, monitoring, and 

accreditation of test labs is a key component of the EAC’s testing and certification program, and the 

agency plans to continue this work in FY2020. 

States and localities select the standard to which they will procure voting systems. Voting systems are 

built by private vendors to the standards selected by states and localities. The EAC produces the 

standard as well testing and certification program that most states use in whole or in part. Through 

these efforts the EAC plans to continue to help the nation build, procure, and use secure, functional, 

and accessible voting systems and therefore help the nation administer its elections. 

Election Administration Educational Resources 

Charged with acting as the nation’s clearinghouse of election administration information to help 

promote the effective administration of federal elections, the EAC must provide resources on newly 

developed and currently pressing election administration issues. State and local election officials, 

Congress, other federal agencies, and voters regularly leverage these EAC resources. In FY2018, for 

example, the EAC produced nation-leading resources of Risk Limiting Audits, Critical Infrastructure, 

language access, and general election security for states, localities, and voters. EAC stakeholders 

regularly use these resources to improve the administration of their elections, educate voters, and 

generally increase voters’ confidence in the nation’s elections. The EAC also produced educational 

resources on election administration for other federal agencies as they have worked to produce 

specialized tools for election officials and voters.

The EAC works to produce these products in a range of formats, and the agency builds each resource in 

the format that the resource’s intended audience is most likely to prefer for that product. Recently the 

EAC has produced white papers, educational videos, blog posts, presentations, and online-hosted as 

well as in-person delivered classes. For FY2020, the EAC plans to continue producing these resources, 

and the agency plans to continue building these resources in formats that help facilitate their use.

Election Administration Best Practices 

In addition to producing educational resources on newly developing and currently pressing election 

administration issues, the EAC is also charged with regularly collecting best practices in ongoing 

election administration practices as part of its clearinghouse mandate. As the only federal agency that 

focuses on the whole of elections, the EAC’s work in this area serves as a powerful central hub and 

single “go-to” location for election officials and voters as they work to improve the administration of 

and participate in in their elections. 

The EAC collects these best practices through hearings, in-person and virtual meetings, leveraging its 

advisory boards’ extensive knowledge and experience, commissioner led hearings, and an innovative 

annual contest. Through each of these means, the EAC learns from the diversity of approaches taken by 

the nation’s thousands of election jurisdictions and helps the rest of the nation learn from their peers. 

These election administration best practice areas regularly include: 
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 Poll worker recruitment, management, and training;

 Voter registration list management; 

 Polling place management; 

 Procurement of voting and voter registration systems; 

 Data collection and management; 

 Accessibility for voters with disabilities; and 

 Access for voters with limited English proficiency. 

In FY 2020, the EAC will continue to meet its statutory charge in this area. As FY 2020 is the time in 

which the nation’s election officials and voters will prepare to administer and participate in the 2020 

general election, the EAC plans to focus this best practice collection on topics most useful for election 

officials and voters in a general election year. In this way, the EAC will help the nation successfully 

administer and participate in a secure, accessible, and effective general election.

Annual Non-Expenditure Transfer to NIST

In 2020, EAC includes a request for the annual non-expenditure transfer to NIST at $1,500,000 for 

activities required under HAVA Sections 221 Technical Guidelines Development Committee (TGDC), 231 

Certification and Testing of Voting Systems, and 245 Study and Report on Electronic Voting and the 

Electoral Process.

EAC will work with NIST to set priorities for FY 2020. The focus in FY 2019 will be finalization of VVSG 

2.0 and cybersecurity. We plan to work with NIST on finishing test requirements and scripts that apply 

to the VVSG, and developing the cybersecurity framework as it relates to elections as critical 

infrastructure. The EAC-NIST Public Working Group on Cybersecurity is one of three groups aimed at

collecting requirements from processes and functions conducted by election officials during preelection, election, and post-election. Four constituency groups have been created to identify the

corresponding technical requirements in human factors (usability & accessibility), cybersecurity,

interoperability, and testing. The cybersecurity group will hold meetings to discuss and develop 

guidance for voting system cybersecurity-related issues, including security controls and auditing 

capabilities. The guidance will be used in the ongoing development of the VVSG. We anticipate the 

Working Group on Cybersecurity will also research and discuss threats and security technologies to 

assist election officials in the performance of their duties.

DISTRIBUTE

Strategic Goal 3: Improve the administration of U.S. elections through the distribution of EAC 

assistance and products. $2,968,040.94

Goal 3 is led by the Communications and Public Affairs Division with input from the Payments and 

Grants, Testing and Certification, and Clearinghouse and Research Divisions. Objectives and success 

indicators for the goal are as follows:
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OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the goal are to effectively, efficiently, and economically distribute federal resources 

to EAC stakeholders; serve as an expert on the administration of American elections in order to 

publically share the distribution of EAC assistance; regularly distribute EAC products on timelines that 

align with stakeholder needs; and distribute EAC assistance through methods designed to facilitate 

stakeholder use. 

SUCCESS INDICATORS

The anticipated success indicators for the goal are usage of EAC assistance, which is identifiable 

through feedback from EAC stakeholders; ability to design and distribute EAC products, which is

identifiable through feedback from EAC staff and self-surveying metrics; ability to provide front-end 

guidance regarding the design of EAC products in Strategic Goal 2 programs, which is identifiable 

through feedback and self-surveying metrics; and increased rates of reception of EAC products through 

designed distribution mediums.

Distributing, Auditing, and Providing Technical Assistance Related to Congressionally Appropriated 

Funds for the Improvement of Election Administration 

Congress appropriated $380M of federal funds for the improvement of election administration in the 

2018 Consolidated Appropriations Act and charged the EAC with the distribution of these funds to 55 

states and territories, auditing the use of the states’ and territories’ use of these funds, and providing 

technical assistance to the states and territories as they plan to receive and use these funds to improve 

the administration of their elections. In just over three months from the day of appropriation, the EAC 

established protocols for receiving these funds, educated the nation on these protocols, received 

request for 100% of the funds, and made 100% of the funds available for the eligible states to drawn 

down. The EAC is proud of the quick and responsive work that it did to distribute this vital resource to 

the states ahead of the 2018 election. However, the EAC’s work related to these funds is not finished. 

Now that the funds are distributed to the states, the EAC’s mandate shifts from distribution to auditing 

and technical assistance. The EAC’s Inspector General audits the States’ use of the funds, and EAC staff 

members provide technical assistance to the states as they plan to and implement their plans to use 

the federal funds. Currently, the EAC as well as the EAC’s Inspector General have begun taking steps to 

start providing these services to the nation, and the EAC fully expects this work to continue into and 

through FY 2020. Effective and responsible election administration grant management will be of the 

upmost importance as the nation navigates the 2018 midterm elections and prepares the administer 

the 2020 general election. 

In addition to the newly appropriated funds, the EAC is responsible for distributing, providing technical 

assistance related to, and auditing other federal funds, including previously congressionally 

appropriated federal funds. Prior to the new appropriation of funds in 2018, the EAC had already 

distributed over $3 billion in federal funds since its inception in 2002. These funds have been used to 

improve the nation’s voting systems, voter registration systems, and election administration practices. 

The EAC’s work to audit the use of and provide technical assistance related to these funds continues 

today, and the agency plans to continue to fulfill its congressional mandate related to these funds in 

FY2020. 

The following chart estimates initial value of voting and voting-related equipment purchased by the 

states using Federal HAVA funds, as of FY 2016. Amounts are aggregate and reported in the fiscal year 
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proceeding the year the expense was incurred. (Note that the chart does not reflect equipment that 

has been sold or otherwise disposed of as it reaches the end of its useful life.)

FY 2012 FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016

Section 102 Funds $90,122 $137,401 $ (267,813) $ (10,769) $ 0

Section 251 Funds 40,410,437 43,417,090 168,169,476 75,586,153 110,248,566

Total $40,500,559 $43,554,491 $167,901,663 $75,575,384 $110,248,566

NOTE: The detailed OIG direct request of $1,065,000 appears as an attachment to this document.

The Distribution of EAC Clearinghouse Resources for the Improvement of Election Administration

The EAC is the federal government’s clearinghouse of election administration information. In the 

agency’s work under Strategic Goals 1: Analyze and 2: Build, the EAC researches election administration 

practices, information, and data and then builds clearinghouse resources that help states and election 

officials with this research. In this section of the agency’s efforts under Strategic Goal 3: Distribute, the 

EAC brings these resources to the stakeholders the agency is charged with assisting, election officials 

and states. The EAC does this in person, through its website, through the media upon request, and 

through other digital mediums such as email distribution.

In the lead up to the 2016 general election, this EAC role was a critical asset to the nation. The EAC 

worked as a crucial conduct communicating cybersecurity threat indicators and other national security 

information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and DHS to the states and localities so they 

could better protect their cyber-systems against potential threats. This role evolved into the EAC’s 

ongoing leadership role in the establishment and management of DHS’s elections infrastructure as 

critical infrastructure national security efforts. 

The nation’s thousands of semi-autonomous elections jurisdictions have different needs and consume 

information in different ways. So, the EAC’s distribution efforts must be active and strategic. One 

manner in which the EAC currently and plans to continue reaching out to its stakeholders in FY 2020 is 

in person, attending state, regional, and national conferences to reach election officials that would not 

be reached otherwise. Often these in-person conferences are one of the most impactful continuing 

learning opportunities for local election officials. So, the EAC makes an active effort to bring its 

resources to these conferences. There, the EAC talks about its resources and how they can help 

election officials and voters and distributes the resources in person. These resources are often white 

papers, slide decks, quick start guides, and access to videos. One particularly well received resource 

that the EAC developed and distributed in FY2018 was a video detailing how elections are secured. This 

video was created for election officials to use to educate their offices and voters in order to increase 

the nation’s confidence in the existing security measures that protect the nation’s elections. The EAC 

also brings its “Election Officials as IT Managers” class to states and localities and teaches these classes 

in person. The EAC Commissioners often take the lead on this in-person outreach effort, and the EAC 

staff members also regularly contribute to this effort as well. 

Another method through which the EAC distributes its resources is through digital mediums. The EAC’s 

website is a popular resource for voters and election officials as they seek help in either participating in 

or improving elections. On the EAC’s website, the agency hosts downloadable copies of all of its current 

and legacy resources. The most popular set of resources on the EAC’s website is the agency’s resources 
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for voters, particularly voter registration. Every day, voters and potential voters come to the EAC’s 

website to learn how to register to vote. The EAC’s website provides an easy-to-use map that helps 

voters navigate to resources for their state. This request includes funds for continued maintenance of 

the EAC’s website and other similar digital outreach platforms. 

The EAC’s strategic plan calls for the agency to strategically distribute resources so that the agency is 

being as effective as possible while also being good stewards of public funds. In FY2020, this will be 

particularly important as the nation prepares to administer the 2020 general election, and the EAC 

looks forward to continuing to serve in this role. 

The FY 2020 Request 

For FY 2020, the EAC requests funding to continue to distribute Congressionally appropriated funds, 

provide technical assistance to the recipients of federal funds, audit the use of federal funds, and 

distribute the EAC’s clearinghouse resources. This request includes funds for staff, travel to states for 

resource distribution and audit purposes, and a financial management support contract that includes 

pre- and post-audit technical assistance for the States.

OPERATE 

Strategic Goal 4: Ensure continued effective operation of EAC in order to achieve its goals 

while acting as good stewards of public funds. $563,377.18

Goal 4 is administered by the Executive Director with contributions from all EAC divisions. Objectives 

and success indicators for the goal are as follows:

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the goal are to contribute positively and effectively to the broader federal community 

through active contribution and compliance; continue to build a skilled, diverse, and effective 

workforce that ensures the EAC has the human capital needed to achieve its mission; develop and 

continue to manage internal structures, tools that produce a culture of innovation and a driven 

workforce where thought leaders thrive; and institutionalize an increased level of strategic and crossagency thinking.

SUCCESS INDICATORS

The anticipated success indicators of the goal are the existence of inter-agency programs that provide 

unique value or generate efficiencies; continuing compliance with federal regulations and mandates; 

and internal strategic planning capacity development at the division and programmatic levels.

Workforce Planning and Development 

One of the first tasks that the EAC’s current Commissioners completed upon being appointed was to 

pass a new policy document that required the EAC’s Executive Director to work with the Office of 

Personnel Management (OPM) to assess the agency’s workforce and structure to help ensure that the

agency was operating efficiently. Fulfilling this requirement, the EAC is now nearing completion a yearlong process wherein the agency engaged with OPM to do just this. The agency’s strategic plan takes 

this initiative one step further and calls for specific areas of development and focus as the agency 

continues to work efficiently and effectively. As the EAC looks to FY 2020, it plans to continue its efforts 
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on this front by continuing its workforce planning and development efforts, continuing its programs 

and initiatives that promote and require cross-divisional thinking within the agency, and work to ensure 

the agency’s compliance with all federal requirements. Through the Commission’s workforce planning 

and development efforts, the EAC is and will continue to evaluate its approaches to recruiting and 

retaining employees as OMB indicates is preferred on page 2 of the document titled “Supplemental 

Management Guidance for FY 2020 Budget Submissions.”

Contributing Positively and Effectively to the Federal Government through Cross-Agency Initiatives 

The EAC is not the only agency that develops resources that are useful to election officials and voters, 

but the EAC is the only agency that focuses on the whole of elections. This focus allots the agency a 

unique perspective that allows the agency to help its stakeholders understand how resources from the 

broader federal community can best be used alongside other election administration resources. Also 

because of the EAC’s clearinghouse charge, the agency is particularly positioned to work with other 

agencies to build and distribute increased numbers and quality of resources to EAC stakeholders. Under 

the agency’s work through this objective, the EAC regularly and plans to continue to regularly work 

with other federal agencies to cooperatively help the nation. The EAC’s critical infrastructure efforts are 

a good example of this. 

The EAC actively leads many of DHS’s national security efforts to secure the nation’s elections against 

foreign actors. In 2017, the EAC played a critical role in helping DHS to stand up its operational 

infrastructure for protecting elections infrastructure, and since that time the EAC has been a leading 

member of the Government Coordinating Council (GCC) and its executive committee. These groups are 

DHS committees, but the EAC leads in them as a subject matter expert to help ensure that the country 

is getting the best resources it can to defend its elections. 

This cooperative national security effort extends past the EAC’s efforts with DHS. The EAC also works 

with the FBI, ODNI, NIST, and representatives from the Department of Defense. Often other agencies 

reach out to the EAC for elections expertise to inform their decision making and resource development. 

National security is not the only area where the EAC works alongside other agencies. The EAC works 

with the U.S. Postal Service to help serve voters who vote and receive information by mail. The EAC 

works with NIST to develop the EAC’s Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG). The EAC works with 

the Department of Defense to better serve military and overseas voters. The EAC also works with the 

FBI and its Election Crimes Branch to inform states and localities as to their legal requirements. As more 

agencies look to help provide resource for election administration, the EAC looks forward to acting as a 

key team-player to inform the broader federal government’s decision making in this crucial area. 

The FY 2020 Request 

For FY 2020, the EAC request funds to work alongside other federal agencies to collectively secure the 

nation’s elections, serve voters domestically as well as abroad, serve military voters, strategically 

develop and manage its staff, and comply with Congress’s mandatory reporting requirements
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Funding to move the agency’s offices

The EAC also requests $2.4 million for relocations expenses to help the agency better fulfill its 

congressionally mandated mission, helping to improve the nation’s election administration. HAVA 

mandates the EAC operate as a clearinghouse to advance the administration of U.S. elections by 

studying election administration practices, administering the national voter registration form, testing

and certifying voting systems, and distributing Congressional appropriated funds. Inherent in all of the 

EAC’s mandates is the convening of stakeholders. Furthermore, events such as threats against the 

nation’s election infrastructure have forced the Commission’s mission to evolve.

The EAC’s mission requires interaction with the public in a suitable and accessible environment. In fact, 

the convening of accessibility expertise is specifically mentioned in the EAC’s chartering legislation. The 

EAC’s current location however, has limited convening and meeting space which is not accompanied by 

ADA required facilities. The EAC works to continue to achieve this component of its mission, but the 

rental of outside space and equipment regularly requires the EAC to incur increased costs. Leading up 

to the 2020 General Election the EAC will convene an increased number of meetings to help prepare for 

the general election. As such, these costs will only increase if the agency cannot move on its requested 

timeline.

Additionally, the Commission currently works with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the 

Department of Defense, the U.S. Postal Service, and Congress on cross-agency projects and priorities. 

However the agency’s location also makes it more difficult to work these other crucial federal partners. 

For example, the EAC regularly reports to Congress on the $380 million of congressionally appropriated 

election improvement funds. However, the EAC is not located near Congress. Also, the EAC works 

closely with DHS to secure our nation’s elections infrastructure, but is not located near any DHS 

facilities. A new location would allow the EAC to better contribute to this national priority.

Lastly, the Senate recently confirmed two new Presidential appointed EAC commissioners. This is the 

first time the agency has had four commissioners since 2009, which was before the agency moved to its 

current location. It is essential for EAC Commissioners to have a fully-functional work space and access 

to resources, but the current space does not adequately provide this. 

Receiving these funds for FY 2020 will allow the EAC to best achieve its mission by using the new 

location to better facilitate the Commission’s election year programs in support of the coming 2020 

general election. EAC initiatives impacted by the timeliness of the agency’s move include: supporting 

the cybersecurity of the nation’s election systems; helping election officials prepare to administer the 

2020 by registering voters, managing poll workers, and procuring as well as using modern voting 

systems; and assisting voters as they prepare to participate in the coming election. Additionally, the 

EAC is traditionally one of the first points of contact for international organizations and representatives 

from foreign governments when they observe U.S. Elections. This timeline would allow the EAC to 

better represent the nation as the world observes our democratic processes in 2020.

Additional Request 
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Information Technology (IT) Infrastructure

The Office of the Information Technology continues to explore new innovations to update and improve 

network services for security, availability, efficiency and productivity. EAC operates its own

infrastructure, using GSA’s backbone for security purposes. The IT staff of three maintains personal 

computers, smart phones, and servers; provides software requested by EAC staff, remote access 

services, and an interactive voice response telephone system; performs vulnerability scans (in addition 

to GSA’s backbone infrastructure scans); and remediates and updates security patches so that staff are 

equipped to perform work both on- and off-site in a secure environment.

GSA manages a firewall, external intrusion detection, T1 lines and routers and switches for Federal 

Information Security Management Act (FISMA) compliance on EAC’s behalf. EAC’s cyber security 

management needs are covered by GSA through an annual Memorandum of Understanding for IT 

services and equipment at approximately $100,000 for FY 2020. The agreement funds the tools that 

enable GSA to continuously monitor EAC's IT systems security as described in OMB M-10-15, FY 2010 

Reporting Instructions for the FISMA and Agency Privacy Management dated April 21, 2010. In FY 2018, 

EAC received a clean opinion on its FISMA audit.

Status of Management Challenges

EAC’s Inspector General reported on two categories of management challenges in October 2018: 

records management and lack of a quorum on the Commission. Regarding records management, the 

EAC established an electronic filing system which allows the EAC to effectively manage and file records.

Secondly, the lack of a quorum on the Commission has been resolved. Recently, the Senate confirmed 

two new Commissioners. This is the first time the agency has had four commissioners in ten years.

Improper Payments

The Improper Payments Act requires each Federal agency to assess all programs and identify which, if 

any, may be subject to high risk with respect to improper payments. In 2018, the Consolidated 

Appropriations Act of 2018 was signed into law, making $380 million available to states to improve the 

administration of federal election. The EAC was charged to administer these funds to states. This is the 

EAC’s only program that meets the OMB Circular A-123 Part B’s definition for being “susceptible to 

erroneous payments.”

The Payments and Grants Division used EAC internal controls to review states narrative and budget 

plans to administer funds to states. After final review, the payments were processed through the 

Department of Treasury’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service (BFS). The EAC utilized its financial services 

provider, BFS, to monitor and process grant obligations and disbursements to states. The states were 

able to draw down grant funds from their SAM account. In FY 2018, BFS reported no improper 

payments made for the Election Security Grants.

Additionally, BFS performed a qualitative risk assessment questionnaire to determine susceptibility to 

improper payments. The assessment concluded that the grant payments have a low risk to improper 

payments. Therefore, EAC does not need corrective actions plans for the one-time, Election Security 

Grants program. There are no statutory or regulatory barriers that will impact the ability of EAC to 

successfully complete corrective actions to reduce improper payments if they were needed.
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The Payment Recapture Audit performed by BFS identified zero improper payments for the Election 

Security Grants program.

Mandated Reports to Congress 

EAC continues to provide an annual report of EAC activities to Congress by January 31 of each year for 

the preceding year ending September 30. Due to the government shutdown, the current report was

released March 15th 2019.

EAC continues to provide a biennial report on the impact of the NVRA by June 30 of each oddnumbered year. The latest report was released on June 29, 2017.

EAC provides recommendations to improve election data collection and data provided to Congress in 

the biennial report on the Election Administration and Voting released in the fall of the year 

subsequent to the Federal election. The current report was released on June 29, 2017.
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Attachment A

Office of Inspector General

BACKGROUND 

The United States Election Assistance Commission (EAC) is a bipartisan Commission created 

and authorized by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA). The Office of Inspector 

General (OIG) was established by HAVA and the Inspector General Act of 1978 (IG Act), as 

amended, to provide independent and objective reporting to EAC and Congress through its audit 

and investigative activities. 

Charged with the identification and prevention of waste, fraud, and abuse of Federal resources, 

the OIG strives to promote economy, efficiency and effectiveness in EAC programs and 

operations. To accomplish this goal, OIG conducts regular audits of recipients of grant funds 

distributed by the EAC, annual audits of EAC’s operations, and periodic reviews and audits of 

EAC program operations and transactions. In addition, the OIG conducts investigations in 

response to allegations against EAC, its grant recipients, or other third parties involved in EAC 

programs. 

THE BUDGET IN SUMMARY 

OIG’s fiscal year (FY) 2020 request of $1,065,000 includes $2,770 as a transfer to the Council 

of Inspectors General for Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) in keeping with the provisions of the 

Inspector General Reform Act of 2008. The request also includes $10,000 for costs associated 

with training and professional development for OIG’s full-time employees. 

 OIG ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS 

OIG primarily engages in three activities or projects: auditing grant programs, conducting 

investigations of grant recipients or other third parties related to EAC programs, and conducting 

audits and investigations of EAC programs and operations. 

Auditing Grant Programs 

Section 902 of HAVA gives EAC and other agencies making a grant or payment the authority 

to conduct audits of any recipients of funds. EAC is further authorized to conduct regular audits 

of funds distributed under HAVA. OIG conducts those audits on behalf of EAC. 

Over the past several years, OIG has focused on auditing the grants distributed to states under 

Title II of HAVA. These grants represented the vast majority of grant funds distributed by the 

EAC through fiscal year 2010. The objectives of the state audits were to determine whether the 

state: (1) expended HAVA payments in accordance with the HAVA and related administrative 

requirements; and (2) complied with the HAVA requirements for replacing punch card or lever 

voting machines, establishing an election fund, appropriating five percent matching funds, and 

maintaining state expenditures for elections at a level not less than expended in the state’s base 

fiscal year.
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In fiscal year 2018, EAC received an appropriation in the amount of $380 million in formula 

grants to states to improve the administration of elections for Federal office, including to 

enhance technology and make election security improvements. Beginning in fiscal year 2019 

and continuing in fiscal year 2020, the OIG intends to audit these HAVA Election Security 

Fund grants. States will be selected for audits of their election security grants based on an OIG’s 

risk assessment. That risk assessment includes evaluation of each state’s past performance as 

measured by prior audit outcomes, amount of funding each state received, and the amount of 

money each state has spent, among other factors. 

OIG’s program to ensure economy, efficiency and integrity in the use of funds is not limited to 

audits. OIG has also worked with the EAC to help educate states on the requirements that are 

associated with federal funding. 

In the coming fiscal years, OIG will continue to work to protect the federal investment in the 

electoral process and to promote economy, efficiency, and integrity in EAC grant programs 

through its audit and education programs. 

Investigations 

When allegations are made concerning the misappropriation of HAVA funds, the OIG is 

responsible for investigating those allegations. OIG has instituted a number of activities to 

improve and increase information available to EAC employees and the general public about 

how and when to make complaints of fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement. OIG operates a 

web site that includes the ability to file an on-line complaint. 

OIG does not currently employ an investigator. When issues arise that require investigation, 

OIG contracts with other government agencies for investigative services. 

Internal Audits 

OIG is also responsible for conducting reviews, audits, and investigations of EAC’s internal 

policies, procedures, and actions. Over the past several fiscal years, OIG has conducted a 

number of internal reviews. OIG has issued at total of 37 reports regarding EAC’s operations. 

These reports assess the efficiency of EAC’s operation and its compliance with governing 

statutes and regulations, including compliance with the Federal Information Security 

Management Act (FISMA), the Digital Accountability and Transparency (DATA) Act, and 

compliance with the Federal Travel Regulations. 

OIG GOALS AND OBJECTIVES 

In FY 2020, OIG will continue to monitor spending by EAC grant recipients, conducting 

external investigations, and auditing and investigating EAC programs and operations as needed. 

OIG is currently staffed by one full-time employee, the Inspector General. The current budget 

request includes funding for an Assistant Inspector General for Audit, who will assist the IG in 
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overseeing the work of contract auditors and perform some small audits as well. OIG will 

continue to use contract auditors in FY 2020 to conduct its large audits.

GOAL 1: Protect the Federal investment in our electoral system. 

The Federal government has made a sizable investment in the American electoral system. 

Congress had appropriated $3.25 billion in grant funds to the states for improvement of election 

infrastructure and processes through 2010 and provided an additional $380 million to states for 

election security grants. 

OIG relies primarily on contract auditors to conduct audits of these grants to states. Budgetary 

restrictions will require that we continue to rely on contractors to conduct the majority of the 

audits of grant recipients. OIG will continue to focus efforts on monitoring spending of the $3.6 

billion in grants appropriated to the states, with a primary emphasis on the recent election 

security grants. 

GOAL 2: Promote economy, efficiency and integrity in EAC programs and operations. 

A critical portion of the OIG mission is to promote economy and efficiency in government 

programs and operations and to detect and prevent fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in 

government programs and involving government resources. OIG fulfills this portion of its 

mission by conducting audits and evaluations of EAC operations, including contracting for an 

annual audit of financial statements and a review of compliance with the Federal Information 

Security Management Act (FISMA). While these two reviews cover a large portion of EAC’s 

operations on an annual basis, OIG also conducts audits and evaluations of programs or specific 

EAC transactions. 

OIG is also charged with identifying and investigating waste, fraud and abuse in EAC programs 

and operations. To meet this requirement, OIG operates a hotline that allows people to make 

complaints via telephone, fax, email, mail, and on-line. Using the web site the OIG reaches out 

to those persons involved with EAC and its programs, as well as those impacted by those 

programs to ensure they know how and where to make complaints of fraud, waste, abuse, or 

mismanagement. 

OIG can help ensure integrity in EAC programs and operations by investigating alleged waste, 

fraud or abuse. Complaints from the hotline as well as information from audits and evaluations 

can identify potential civil or criminal wrongdoing. When OIG identifies potential wrongdoing, 

it can institute an investigation. OIG will continue to rely upon interagency agreements with 

other offices of Inspector General to conduct investigations of fraud, waste, abuse and 

mismanagement. 

GOAL 3: Effectively communicate successes and opportunities for improvement. 

OIG uses various tools to communicate with the EAC, the Congress, and the general public 

concerning the status of EAC’s programs and operations as well as OIG’s activities in 

conducting audits, evaluations, inspections, and investigations. OIG issues reports following 
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 Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Request

30

each formal engagement, regardless of type. Reports are disbursed to the entity that is the 

subject of the audit or evaluation, as well as the EAC and, when appropriate, oversight and 

appropriations committees of Congress. All Semiannual Reports to Congress, reports of Top 

Management Challenges, and reports that contain recommendations are posted to the EAC OIG 

website and to Oversight.gov. 

OIG also produces two semi-annual reports to Congress in each fiscal year. Those reports 

summarize the audit, evaluation, inspection and investigation reports issued by OIG during the 

relevant six months. The documents also report on OIG activities by including statistics such as 

recommendations outstanding, the amount of costs that were questioned, as well as how much 

in federal funding could be put to better use. 

OIG also uses technology to communicate with its stakeholders and the public. The OIG 

operates a web site where it makes information available concerning its operations, issued 

reports, rights and protections for whistleblowers, as well as an on-line form for making 

complaints of fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement. 

In FY 2020, OIG will continue its outreach efforts to keep EAC, Congress and the public 

informed of OIG’s activities as well as its reviews of EAC programs and operations. 

GOAL 4: Effective and efficient OIG operations. 

As OIG evaluates the effectiveness and efficiency of EAC programs and operations, it is 

important for the OIG to ensure that its operations are effective and efficient, including having 

the needed policies, procedures and practices to underpin its operations. The current funding 

request includes salary and benefits for an Assistant Inspector General for Audits to assist the 

IG in covering the increased workload created by the new election security grant funding and to 

provide continuity in the OIG activity in the event the IG position would become vacant. The 

additional staffing also accounts for increases in expected training costs. 

OIG will focus on providing a supportive working environment including providing 

professional education and training for its employees. All OIG employees will be required to 

meet the continuing education requirements applicable under the Generally Accepted 

Government Auditing Standards. 

The OIG also participates in the CIGIE peer review program by conducting peer reviews of 

other OIGs and by undergoing triennial peer reviews as well. These peer reviews provide 

additional assurance that the work of the EAC OIG meets or exceeds the highest professional 

standards
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 Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Request

31

OIG BUDGET REQUEST BY OBJECT CLASS

FY 2018

Enacted

FY 2019

Request

FY 2020

Request

Personal Compensation and 

Benefits

11.1 Full-time permanent $ 153,750 $ 153,750 $ 225,552

11.9 Total personal compensation 153,750 153,750 225,552

12.1 Civilian personnel benefits 55,925 55,730 83,928

OIG BUDGET REQUEST BY OBJECT CLASS

FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020

Contractual Services and Supplies

21 Travel and transportation of persons 10,000 10,000 15,000 

24 Printing and reproduction 1,000 1,000 1,000 

25.2 Other services 799,170 786,700 677,750

25.3 Other purchases of goods and 

services from Government accounts 35,000 35,000 55,000 

26 Supplies and materials 3,600 3,600 2,000 

Acquisition of Assets

31 Equipment 4,500 4,500 2,000 

94 Financial Transfers 2,355 3,000 2,770

Total Program $ 1,065,300 $ 1,052,730 $ 1,065,000