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Improving American Democracy

2017 Annual Report

U.S. Election Assistance Commission

Table of Contents

Our Mission: Help America Vote 1

Chairman’s Message 2

Meet the Commissioners 4

Tackling Technology 10

Scrutinizing Systems 14

Surveying States 18

Advancing Accessibility 19

Sharing Successes 23

Financial Focus 27

Resource Roundup 31

Executive Director’s Note 34

EAC Federal Advisory Committees 36

EAC Annual Report 2017 
Our Mission: Help America Vote

The U.S. Election Assistance 

Commission helps election officials 

improve the administration of 

elections and helps America 

participate in the voting process.
Chairman’s Message

It is difficult to identify an area of public 

service that has changed as much as election 

administration in the past 15 years. Against 

the backdrop of voters who expect more ‘on 

demand’ service, election officials must keep 

pace with emerging technology, evolving 

election and access policies, enhanced security 

protections and new industry standards.

It is an incredible task, and makes the mission of the U.S. Election Assistance 

Commission (EAC), or “the Commission,” to support election officials and the voters 

they serve as critical now as it has ever been. 

Throughout 2017, the EAC led critical efforts to provide state and local election 

leaders with resources to enhance election security. The Commission worked 

with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to ensure its designation of 

elections as part of the nation’s critical infrastructure would provide election 

officials with access to timely and actionable information. We created resources 

citing best practices, administered trainings, issued reports and facilitated privatepublic partnerships to give election officials access to the best tools available to 

strengthen their security procedures.

The EAC also championed efforts to enhance accessibility and voting services for all 

Americans, including veterans, military and overseas voters, voters with disabilities 

and voters with limited English proficiency. The Commissioners and staff heard 

these voters talk about the challenges they face when trying to cast their ballot. 

The EAC converted this feedback into tangible resources election officials could use 

to better serve their constituents, and highlighted best practices so voters could 

see more immediate changes. 

EAC Annual Report 2017 2
Chairman’s Message

We worked with the Technical Guidelines Development Committee (TGDC) to elevate the standards 

voting systems are held to by developing the next generation of Voluntary Voting System Guidelines 

(VVSG 2.0). Expected to be released in 2018, the VVSG 2.0 will become the most flexible and efficient 

standards voting systems can be commercially tested against in the United States, and will guide 

standards for voting machines for years to come. 

The Commission also took a deep dive into election administration trends when we released the 2016 

Election Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS), the most comprehensive nationwide data set on 

federal elections. The EAVS revealed a number of trends which will be used to inform resources and 

support aimed at improving voter experience and the efficient administration of elections.

It was an honor to serve as Chairman during this unique time of opportunity and innovation. I am 

immeasurably proud of the EAC’s work and am pleased to present this annual report chronicling 

the Commission’s accomplishments during the past year. While election trends may change, the EAC 

remains a steady source of support for election officials and voters who rely on us to help America 

vote.

Matthew V. Masterson 

Chairman

U.S. Election Assistance Commission

EAC Annual Report 2017 3
Meet the Commissioners

Chairman

Matthew Masterson

Matthew Masterson was nominated by 

President Barack H. Obama and confirmed 

by unanimous consent of the U.S. Senate on 

December 16, 2014 to serve on the U.S. Election 

Assistance Commission (EAC). Masterson 

became Chairman of the EAC in February 2017 

and will serve in this position until February 

2018. 

During his tenure, he has prioritized supporting 

and empowering state and local election 

officials as they deal with pressures stemming 

from America’s aging election systems, as 

well as emerging cyber security threats. Part 

of this work is ensuring election officials have 

the training and resources they need to be 

effective information technology managers 

and cybersecurity experts. Masterson has 

been influential in creating public-private 

partnerships that draw on the diverse talents 

of the cybersecurity sector to convey the 

magnitude and complexity of the current threat 

environment, and what resources election 

officials could draw from to better secure their 

systems. As the designated federal officer of 

the EAC’s Technical Guidelines Development 

Committee (TGDC), Masterson has led EAC’s 

efforts to update the standards used to test 

and certify voting systems. The updated 

guidelines, which are expected to be adopted 

in early 2018, will become the most flexible 

and comprehensive standards against which 

voting systems can be commercially tested in 

the United States. 

Following the designation of U.S. election 

systems as part of the nation’s critical 

infrastructure, Masterson led the EAC’s efforts 

to bridge the information gap between the 

Department of Homeland Security and state 

election officials.

As Chairman, Masterson also worked with state 

and local election officials to improve election 

accessibility for voters with disabilities, Limited 

English Proficiency Voters and military and 

other Americans voting overseas.

Prior to his appointment with EAC, Masterson 

served as Interim Chief of Staff for the 

Ohio Secretary of State. He also served as 

Deputy Chief of Staff and Chief Information 

Officer and Deputy Director of Elections for 

the Ohio Secretary of State. In these roles, 

Masterson was responsible for voting system 

certification efforts by the Secretary of State’s 

office. Masterson was also in charge of Ohio’s 

effort to develop an online voter registration 

database and online ballot delivery for military 

and overseas voters. 

Prior to joining the Ohio Secretary of State’s 

Office, Masterson held multiple roles at the 

EAC from 2006 to 2011. 

During FY18, Masterson’s one-year term as 

Chairman will expire. He will continue to serve 

alongside EAC Commissioner Thomas Hicks, 

who will move from the role of Vice Chairman 

to Chairman, and Commissioner Christy A. 

McCormick, who will become Vice Chair of the 

Commission.

EAC Annual Report 2017 4
5

Meet the Commissioners

Vice Chairman

Thomas Hicks

Thomas Hicks was nominated by President 

Barack H. Obama and confirmed by unanimous 

consent of the U.S. Senate on December 16, 

2014 to serve on the U.S. Election Assistance 

Commission (EAC). Hicks served as the 

Chairman of the EAC from February 2016 until 

February 2017. 

During his time with EAC, Hicks has prioritized 

technology improvements in the nation’s 

election systems and better polling place 

access. He has worked to ensure that election 

technology purchased using Help America 

Vote Act (HAVA) funds are running to the best 

possible standards and that all voters – without 

regard to ability, language, or location – have 

the same opportunity to cast their ballot. Hicks 

has also prioritized initiatives such as online 

voter registration, updating the voluntary 

voting system guidelines, and improving 

efforts to recruit more poll workers to serve on 

Election Day. 

Prior to his appointment with the EAC, 

Hicks served as a Senior Elections Counsel 

and Minority Elections Counsel on the U.S. 

House of Representatives Committee on 

House Administration. Prior to joining the 

U.S. House of Representatives, Hicks served 

as a Senior Lobbyist and Policy Analyst for 

Common Cause, a nonpartisan, nonprofit 

organization that empowers citizens to make 

their voices heard in the political process 

and to hold their elected leaders accountable 

to the public interest. Hicks served in the 

Clinton Administration as a Special Assistant 

and Legislative Assistant in the Office of 

Congressional Relations for the Office of 

Personnel Management. He served as agency 

liaison to the U.S. Congress and the President’s 

Administration on matters regarding federal 

personnel policies and regulations.

Hicks will become the Chairman of the EAC 

in February 2018, a position he will hold for 

one year. He will continue to serve alongside 

EAC Commissioner Matthew Masterson, 

who will move from the role of Chairman to 

Commissioner, and Commissioner Christy A. 

McCormick, who will become Vice Chair of the 

Commission.

EAC Annual Report 2017 
6

Meet the Commissioners

Commissioner

Christy A. McCormick

Christy McCormick was nominated by President 

Barack H. Obama and confirmed by unanimous 

consent of the United States Senate on 

December 16, 2014 to serve on the U.S. Election 

Assistance Commission (EAC). McCormick 

served as the Chairwoman of the EAC from 

February 2015 until February 2016. McCormick 

was the first chair of the agency following a 

nearly five-year period where there were not 

enough commissioners to hold public meetings. 

During her time at the EAC, McCormick has 

worked to ensure the accuracy and integrity 

of American elections while increasing voter 

participation. As a former overseas voter, she 

has been a powerful advocate for military 

and overseas voters, working to ensure they 

are able to participate in the voting process 

without delay or difficulty. 

Prior to her appointment with EAC, McCormick 

served as a Senior Trial Attorney in the Voting 

Section of the Civil Rights Division at the 

Department of Justice. McCormick was detailed 

by the Deputy Attorney General to be Senior 

Attorney Advisor and Acting Deputy Rule of Law 

Coordinator in the Office of the Rule of Law 

Coordinator at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, 

Iraq from 2009 to 2010, where she worked on 

the Iraq national elections and on rule of law 

matters. McCormick was a U.S. elections expert 

in Iraq observing and monitoring the 2010 

Iraq National elections, providing assistance 

and advice to the Independent High Electoral 

Commission and observing an extensive 12-day 

election recount. She was a rule of law liaison 

to the Kurdish Regional Government and a 

liaison to rule of law advisors at the Provincial 

Reconstruction Teams.

Prior to joining the Department of Justice, 

McCormick served as a Judicial Clerk to the 

Honorable Elizabeth A. McClanahan in the 

Court of Appeals of Virginia. McCormick was 

an Assistant Attorney General and Assistant 

to the Solicitor General in the Office of the 

Attorney General of Virginia. She was a Judicial 

Law Clerk in Virginia’s Seventh Judicial Circuit 

Court.

McCormick will become Vice Chair of the EAC 

in February 2018, a position she will hold for 

one year. She will continue to serve alongside 

EAC Commissioner Thomas Hicks, who will 

become Chairman of the Commission, and 

Commissioner Matthew Masterson, who 

will move from the role of Chairman to 

Commissioner.

EAC Annual Report 2017 
Meet the Commissioners

In 2017, EAC Chairman Matthew Masterson, EAC Vice Chairman 

Thomas Hicks and Commissioner Christy McCormick traveled to 41 

cities in 26 states to attend or present at conferences, visit local 

election offices, attend public hearings and meetings as well as lead 

workshops and roundtables for election officials.

Chairman

Matthew Masterson

Traveled to: 

• Alabama

• California

• Colorado

• Delaware

• Florida

• Georgia

• Indiana

• Massachusetts

• Maryland

• Minnesota

• New York

• Rhode Island

• Tennessee

• Texas

• Virginia 

• Washington

Vice Chairman

Thomas Hicks

Traveled to: 

• Alabama

• Arizona

• California

• Colorado

• Florida

• Illinois

• Massachusetts

• Minnesota

• Missouri

• Nebraska

• New Jersey

• Nevada

• New York

• Oklahoma

• South Carolina

• Texas

Commissioner

Christy McCormick 

Traveled to: 

• Alabama

• Arizona

• California

• Colorado

• Florida

• Georgia

• Illinois

• Indiana

• Massachusetts

• Michigan

• Nebraska

• Nevada

• New York

• Tennessee

• Texas

• Virginia

• Washington

CO

CA

AZ

NV

WA

TX

OK

NE IL

IA

IN

MI

MO

MN

VA

NY

MD

DE

RI

MA

NJ

FL

AL

TN NC

GA

SC

EAC Annual Report 2017 7
At their core, the EAC Commissioners are resources, advisors and 

conveners.

For election officials, the Commissioners are expert consultants who 

can provide guidance on where the field of election administration is 

headed and how jurisdictions can prepare. The Commissioners alert 

officials to resources and tools that can assist with all phases of election 

administration, from high-level best practices to nuts-and-bolts tactical 

approaches for every step in the voting process. The Commissioners 

can also enlist the help of other government entities, nongovernmental 

subject area experts, academia, and other partners who can coordinate 

responses from all levels of government and the private sector to address 

some of the biggest challenges facing election administrators. 

For the federal government, the Commissioners regularly brief Members 

of Congress and federal officials from across the administration to provide 

a first-hand account of state and local efforts to administer elections. The 

Commissioners report on what they have seen during site visits to election 

offices around the country, how election administrators are bolstering 

system resilience and efficiency, and what they may need to maintain the 

level of exemplary service that voters deserve and expect. 

For voters and advocacy groups, the Commissioners provide a bridge 

between individual voters and the election officials who serve them. 

Election administrators must ensure elections are accessible to all 

Commissioner Christy McCormick Chairman Matthew Masterson Vice Chairman Thomas Hicks

EAC Annual Report 2017 8
and that voters have the information and services they need to participate 

in elections. The Commissioners engage voters from across the country 

to capture information about their voting experience and ways the EAC 

can best assist the state and local officials who serve on the front lines of 

democracy. 

The EAC’s Commissioners know that traveling to election jurisdictions 

from across the nation is the best way to fully engage, and understand, 

voters and election administrators hailing from such a diverse landscape. 

From local election office and polling place visits to national conferences 

and state election administrator meetings (and everything in between), 

the Commissioners dedicate themselves to meeting election leaders and 

voters on their home turf. These interactions provide pertinent information 

that shapes the Commission’s work, guides its resources and informs its 

strategic plans.

EAC Annual Report 2017 9
Tackling Technology

Following the 2016 Federal Election, the issue of cybersecurity dominated the national 

conversation about election administration. Accusations of election system hacking 

and other cybersecurity threats led many news outlets, voters and other stakeholders 

to hone in on this important topic — many for the first time. But election officials 

across the nation have long focused their time and energy on securing the vote. The 

EAC remains a constant partner in that vital effort and last year sought to provide 

even more support. 

The EAC offers a robust set of easy-to-access videos and other useful resources 

designed to familiarize election officials with the steps they can take to improve the 

overall resilience of the election process. We added to this arsenal in 2017 and hosted 

several forums that brought together election officials with some of the country’s 

leading cybersecurity experts. Our team traveled across the nation to participate 

in a variety of events focused on strengthening cybersecurity understanding and 

practices. Among these events were statewide cybersecurity trainings and readiness 

events, including the election emergency simulation conducted by the New York Board 

of Elections at the World Trade Center site. 

As we look ahead to next year, the EAC is currently preparing a series of new 

resources, trainings, and events to rollout early next year ahead of the 2018 Federal 

Election cycle. We are also working to finalize and adopt the next generation of 

Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG), standards that are aimed at sparking 

innovation and enhancing voting system security. The Commission is also actively 

exploring ways to better connect election officials with experts and resources beyond 

the federal government, including some of the nation’s best security experts from 

EAC Annual Report 2017 10
Tackling Technology

academia and the private sector. The EAC recognizes that the 

current threat environment necessitates a coordinated response 

from all levels of government, and our mission has always been to 

help state and local election leaders access the information and 

support they need to secure their systems and educate their staff.

Elections as Critical Infrastructure

With that mission in mind, last year the EAC was deeply engaged 

in helping state and local election leaders understand how the 

Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) January 2017 decision 

to designate election systems as part of the nation’s critical 

infrastructure would affect their operations. It was a logical 

step because even before the critical infrastructure designation, 

the Commission worked with DHS to pass on security-related 

information to state and local election officials, including notifying 

them of specific threat indicators and providing the election 

officials with best practices and check lists to protect their 

systems. DHS has stated that the critical infrastructure designation 

was made, in part, to formalize that process and improve the 

timeliness, breadth, and usefulness of election security intelligence 

sharing and support. Our job was to help election officials 

understand and take advantage of these new resources.

Following the critical infrastructure designation, the Commission 

played an instrumental role in ensuring that state and local 

election officials had seats at the table as DHS worked to establish 

the structure that would support election systems as part of the 

nation’s critical infrastructure. The Commission also produced 

a number of foundational documents and educational materials 

to help election officials understand the critical infrastructure 

landscape and common critical infrastructure and cybersecurityrelated terminology. 

The EAC led the effort to convene an Election Infrastructure 

Subsector Working Group (EISWG) consisting of state and local 

election officials. This group was designed to include key election 

official representatives in discussions with DHS regarding the 

critical infrastructure designation and the development of the 

sector’s Government Coordinating Council (GCC). The group met 

Critical Infrastructure 

Resources

Starting 

Point: 

U.S. Election 

Systems 

as Critical 

Infrastructure

Glossary of 

Terminology

The CI Scoop

Other 

Relevant 

Resources

EAC Annual Report 2017 11
EAC Annual Report 2017 12

Tackling Technology

three times between July and September 2017 to discuss the critical infrastructure 

designation, information sharing, and the development of the GCC. During the 

EISWG’s fourth meeting on October 14, 2017, it adopted the GCC’s charter and 

formally established the council. 

The EAC’s role throughout this partnership has consistently been to ensure election 

officials have a tangible, meaningful impact on their own elections and get the most 

they can from the DHS designation. The Commission is well-represented on the 

GCC. The agency’s current Chairman and Vice Chairman are voting members of the 

GCC and the third Commissioner serves in an ex-officio capacity. In addition, the 

Chairman of the EAC serves on the executive committee of the GCC.

The EAC and DHS continue to direct the development of the Critical Infrastructure 

(CI) subsector while the GCC works to establish information sharing protocols, 

complete a draft sector specific plan and participate in the Multistate Information 

Sharing Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) pilot program. The MS-ISAC is the proposed entity 

that will provide information sharing capabilities to owners and operators of election 

administration systems so they can better secure their systems against cyber 

threats. These capabilities will include threat-related notifications; assessments 

of news relevant to targeted stakeholders; a 24/7 operations center with access to 

cybersecurity subject matter experts; timely sharing of actionable, non-attributional 

information; and real-time monitoring for network activity by malicious actors.

In the months ahead, the EAC will continue to work to ensure that the DHS 

designation develops in a way that best serves the needs of election officials and 

voters across the nation. 
“We worked with 27 States, the Election Assistance Commission, and 

established the Government Coordinating Council, a body under which all 

the State election officials can come together and provide a foundation 

which coordinates security practices, share information. We are issuing 

security clearances to a number of election officials, and in a matter of 

weeks, we are going to establish a sector coordinating council, which 

will bring those private sector elements that provide the systems and 

technologies and support.”

Undersecretary Christopher C. Krebs, Department of 

Homeland Security, in testimony before the Senate Armed 

Services Committee

“DHS, through its Office of Intelligence and Analysis and NPPD’s 

National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center 

(NCCIC), began coordinating robustly with the Election Assistance 

Commission, the IC, and law enforcement partners. Among nonFederal partners, NPPD and the Office of Intelligence and Analysis 

engaged state and local officials, as well as relevant private sector 

entities, to assess the scale and scope of malicious cyber activity 

potentially targeting the U.S. election infrastructure.”

Written testimony submitted by Dr. Samuel Liles, DHS 

Office of Intelligence and Analysis Cyber Division Acting 

Director, and Jeanette Manfra, DHS National Protection 

and Programs Directorate Acting Deputy Undersecretary 

for Cybersecurity and Communications, to a Senate 

Select Committee on Intelligence hearing entitled 

“Russian Interference in the 2016 U.S. Elections

“The EAC is a vital partner in our efforts to administer secure and 

accessible elections. Their leadership bringing elections administrators, 

DHS, the MS-ISAC, and other security experts together has helped 

improve the cyber protection of elections in America. The Commissioners 

and staff consistently work to build important partnerships and serve as 

a necessary resource for state and local elections administrators.”

Kim Wyman, Washington Secretary of State

“The EAC has played an invaluable role in the implementation of DHS’s 

designation of elections as a critical infrastructure subsector, particularly 

by serving as the primary liaison between local and state election 

officials and federal agencies.”

David Stafford, Certified Elections/Registration 

Administrator, Escambia County Supervisor of Elections

EAC Annual Report 2017 13
Scrutinizing Systems

• Tested and certified six voting systems from four separate manufacturers. 

• Drafted VVSG Principles and Guidelines with NIST, the Technical Guidelines 

Development Committee (TGDC) and the VVSG Public Working Groups. 

• Published Checklist for Securing Election Night Reporting Systems. 

• Published Cyber Incident Response Best Practices. 

• Published Glossary of Common Cybersecurity Terminology. 

• Conducted two manufacturer Quality System Audits. 

• Conducted one Voting System Test Laboratory re-accreditation audit.

2017 Testing & Certification At a Glance

The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) established the EAC and charged 

the Commission with developing voting system standards and 

creating the federal government’s first voting system certification 

program. 

In the 15 years since this landmark legislation was enacted, the EAC 

has worked to define election system standards rigorous enough to 

ensure accuracy, yet flexible enough to be applied across the many 

systems used in the thousands of election jurisdictions across the 

nation. Today, most states use the EAC’s Testing and Certification 

program in some way when deciding which voting system to 

procure. 

At the heart of the EAC’s testing and certification work are the 

Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG), a set of requirements 

that voting system hardware and software must meet to receive an 

EAC certification. The most recent draft iteration of these standards, 

VVSG 2.0, were proposed to the EAC by the Technical Guidelines 

Development Committee (TGDC) on September 12, 2017. 

The VVSG 2.0 are a nimble high-level set of principles accompanied 

by technical requirements for how systems can meet the new 

guidelines. The guidelines will also come with detailed test 

assertions that will assist the accredited test laboratories in 

validating that a system complies with the new guidelines and 

requirements. 

“I can tell you without a doubt 

this program has made a 

difference in how we build 

our systems, test our systems 

and implement our systems. 

States, counties and voters 

are the benefactors of this 

program.”

Steve Pearson, Director of 

Certification at Election 

Systems & Software, at 

the EAC Public Meeting in 

December 2016

EAC Annual Report 2017 14
15

Scrutinizing Systems

The shift to a function-based set of guidelines gives voting system 

manufacturers the ability to design voting systems responsive to the 

needs of voters and election officials without being tied to specific 

technology or system implementations. The requirements are 

designed to allow for innovations that allow local election officials 

to give voters the best experience possible and to improve the 

accessibility, security, accuracy and auditability of voting systems. 

Once released in 2018, the VVSG 2.0 will become the most flexible 

and comprehensive standards against which voting systems can be 

commercially tested in the United States. Since the guidelines were 

proposed by the TGDC, they have been shared with members of 

the EAC’s Board of Advisors and Standards Board, who will review 

and provide comments. Following the board reviews, there will be a 

90-day period for public comment on the guidelines before they are 

presented to the EAC Commissioners for final adoption.

The next generation of Voluntary Voting System Guidelines, VVSG 2.0, was adopted 

by the TGDC on September 12, 2017. These new guidelines, expected to be released 

in early 2018, test for accessibility, security, accuracy and auditability, while still 

allowing for variability in equipment and procedures.

“Rhode Island worked 

extensively with EAC as the 

state prepared an RFP for a 

new voting system. I spent 

many hours consulting with 

Chairman Masterson and 

with the EAC’s testing and 

certification program. The EAC 

team guided us through the 

process and provided help with 

the new voting equipment and 

electronic poll books once we 

acquired them.”

Rob Rock, Director of 

Elections in Rhode Island

EAC Annual Report 2017 
2012 2016

CO ME MN

NH

Surveying States: 2016 Election Administration & Voting Survey

140,114,502 million Americans 

voted in the 2016 Presidential 

Election, of the U.S. 

civilian voting age population. 

63% Five states*

 had turnout rates 

exceeding 70 percent.

*

Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire and 

Oregon

OR

From 2014 to 2016, 16,696,470 million citizens 

- 8.8 percent of all registrants - were removed 

from state voter registration rolls. 

The most common reasons to remove a citizen from a voter roll 

were cross-jurisdiction change of address, failing to respond to 

a confirmation notice and not voting in the previous two federal 

elections, and death.

In 2016, 17.7 percent of all jurisdictions 

used e-poll books, an increase from 7.9 

percent in 2012. 

7.9%

17.7%

EAC Annual Report 2017 16
17

Surveying States: 2016 Election Administration & Voting Survey

Nationwide, there 

were 116,990 physical 

polling places. 

116,990

Jurisdictions operated 

more than 8,500 early 

voting locations.

Online voter registration 

applications constituted 

only 6.5 percent of total 

registrations in the 2014 

election, but accounted for 

17.4 percent of registrations 

in the 2016 Presidential 

Election. 

Department of Motor Vehicle 

(DMV) agencies received the 

most registration applications 

in 2016 - 32.7 percent - while 

other registration methods, like 

mail and in-person registration, 

declined since the 2012 election.

More than 41 percent of all 

ballots were cast using mail, 

absentee ballots and at early 

voting locations. 

16 states showed a combined 

percentage of greater than 50 

percent of votes cast early, by 

mail and via absentee voting.
Surveying States

The EAC worked to make the 2016 EAVS data more accessible and actionable for 

election officials in a number of innovative ways.

A series of “Deep Dive” briefings 

provided an in-depth look at a 

variety of issues related to election 

administration, such as voter 

registration, recruiting poll workers 

and early, absentee and mail 

voting, with more to come in 2018 

ahead of the midterm election.

State-specific fact sheets allow 

election officials to more easily 

reference the data that matters 

to them.

Individual jurisdictions can 

compare their data with similar 

jurisdictions and see how similar 

initiative and policy changes 

might impact their districts. 

Election

Administration

and Voting Deep

Survey Dive

EAVS

Elections generate a tremendous amount of data that can be 

collected and analyzed to improve the voter experience and guide 

how officials administer elections. For more than a decade, the EAC 

has captured and analyzed such data from all 50 states, the District 

of Columbia and four U.S. territories in the Election Administration 

and Voting Survey (EAVS), the most comprehensive survey on 

election administration in the United States. 

The EAC administers the survey biennially to collect data on the 

administration of federal elections and the ability of civilian, military 

and overseas citizens to cast a ballot. The survey gives officials and 

other stakeholders crucial information about the impact of election 

policy changes over time and allows researchers and academics to 

identify national, state, and local trends in election administration.

The ultimate goal is for this data to be used to improve the way 

America votes. 

To further that goal, the EAC uses EAVS data to create resources 

for state and local election officials and the American voters they 

serve. The EAC conducts the EAVS to meet its HAVA charge to serve 

as a national clearinghouse and resource for the compilation of 

information with respect to the administration of federal elections. 

Additionally, the EAVS fulfills EAC data collection requirements 

contained in both the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) and the 

Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA).

“It’s hard to overestimate the value 

of this data to the field – especially 

in the current environment where 

election administration systems 

across the nation are once again 

under what the Election Center’s 

Doug Lewis famously called the 

‘electron microscope.’ To me, what’s 

exciting about the data (beyond 

the election geeky thrill of reams 

and reams of information) is the 

anticipation of what researchers 

like MIT’s Charles Stewart and 

others will do to analyze this 

comprehensive snapshot of the 

2016 election. It may seem hard to 

believe, but I suspect we still have 

a lot to learn – and be surprised – 

about 2016 as a result of this data.”

Doug Chapin, Director of the 

Program for Excellence in 

Election Administration at 

Humphrey School of Public 

Affairs at the University of 

Minnesota.

EAC Annual Report 2017 18
Advancing Accessibility

Increasing access to independent voting is a core part of the EAC’s 

mandate and a founding principle of HAVA. Election officials across 

the nation rely on the Commission to provide tools and resources 

that strengthen their ability to serve millions of American voters, 

including those with disabilities, Americans with Limited English 

Proficiency and voters serving in the U.S. military or living overseas. 

In 2017, through public forums, roundtables, partnerships and other 

engagements, the EAC engaged voters who have historically faced 

accessibility issues and focused on developing resources to better 

serve these Americans.

Voters with Disabilities

More than 35 million Americans with disabilities – approximately 

one in six of the total electorate – are eligible to vote in the United 

States. Yet too many face obstacles when they go to cast their 

ballot. Throughout 2017, the EAC used outreach events, town hall 

discussions, social media, blogs, opinion pieces, fact sheets and 

streaming web content to focus attention on best practices and 

practical guidance regarding improved services for these voters. 

In July 2017, the Commission conducted a month-long campaign 

to mark the 27th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities 

Act. A highlight of that work was a roundtable discussion about 

EAC Annual Report 2017 19
20

Advancing Accessibility

initiatives to improve voting accessibility 

for the nearly 4 million American veterans 

with service-connected disabilities. The 

roundtable featured innovative technologies 

and commonsense approaches that election 

officials and advocates throughout the nation 

are using to meet the unique needs of veterans 

with combat-related physical or cognitive 

disabilities. 

The Commissioners also on a number of 

occasions met with voters with disabilities 

and gathered first-hand feedback about 

their election experiences. For example, 

EAC Commissioners and staff attended 

the Association of Programs for Rural 

Independent Living (APRIL) Conference in 

Spokane, Washington. The event connected 

the Commission with hundreds of people with 

disabilities from across the United States who 

shared their voting experiences and offered 

suggestions for making the voting process 

more accessible. This unique opportunity, and 

others like it, informs the Commission’s work 

and the kinds of resources it can provide for 

election officials and the voters they serve.

In addition, during the past year, the 

Commission has continued to work closely 

with election officials to promote HAVA’s 

access requirements and to foster a climate 

of understanding in providing assistance for 

voters with disabilities. Along these lines, 

the EAC also distributes federal voting rights 

cards for people with disabilities in Braille, 

large print and plain language. To date, the 

Commission has distributed more than 15,000 

cards to voters with disabilities, advocacy 

organizations, and election officials across the 

U.S. 

“There is a very specific need to look at 

veterans with disabilities in voting, see 

how this group differs from the rest of the 

general population, as well as people with 

disabilities, and look specifically at how 

programs could be set up to help them. 

The research that the EAC funded proved 

the value of taking an in-depth look and 

identifying potential solutions in the space, 

because we have seen a number of states 

take innovative approaches in how they 

address these issues. That research helped 

identify some of the problems, as well as 

some of the solutions, and paved the way for 

more programs we have seen in the years 

since then.”

Daniel Castro, Vice President, Information 

Technology and Innovation Foundation, 

on ITIF’s EAC-sponsored research about 

helping veterans with disabilities in the 

voting process.

Voters with Limited English Proficiency 

Throughout the United States, citizens for 

whom English is a second language may want 

or need language assistance when voting, 

such as having their ballot or other election 

materials in their native language. Federal 

law requires over 260 jurisdictions to provide 

some type of language assistance. The EAC 

is committed to providing state and local 

election officials with resources to improve 

access at the local level. For example, the 

EAC offers a glossary of election terminology 

in six languages other than English, a voter 

guide to federal elections in 11 languages, 

and the agency maintains the National Voter 

EAC Annual Report 2017 
21

Advancing Accessibility

Registration Form in nine languages other than English. In July, the 

EAC held its second annual Language Access for Voters Summit. The 

summit was co-hosted with Democracy Fund Voice and featured 

panels, keynote speakers and breakout sessions focused on the 

best solutions for serving voters who need language assistance. 

The summit brought together election officials, voting rights 

groups, academics and translation experts to discuss changes in 

national demographics, updates for jurisdictions complying with 

federal law and ways to cultivate long-term relationships with 

diverse communities. It also included a discussion of assessing and 

procuring resources to meet the needs of these voters.

The EAC will use the feedback from the language summit and other 

interactions with election officials and voters throughout the nation 

to help jurisdictions meet their language access obligations in a 

more efficient and cost-effective way. 

Military and Overseas Voters

Active U.S. military service members, their families and Americans 

overseas often face unique challenges when it comes to casting their 

ballots. Ensuring election access for these Uniformed and Overseas 

Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) voters remains a key part of 

EAC’s work. 

In 2017, the EAC continued its partnership with the Federal Voting 

Assistance Program (FVAP) to improve services for UOCAVA voters, 

including work to provide easy access to online registration forms, 

portals for information about election deadlines, and other voter 

services. The EAC also partnered with FVAP and the Council of State 

Governments to improve portions of the Election Administration & 

Voting Survey (EAVS) and collect more accurate and complete data 

about these voters. The Commission also connected with UOCAVA 

voters during military site visits and interactions with overseas voter 

organizations. 

“It’s very encouraging to 

see that we’re focusing on 

veterans voting. Especially 

all the technology, the stuff 

that’s out there, speaking of 

HAVA, you know, it’s been 

15 years, I think we’ve come 

a long way, and we’ve done 

a lot more to make things 

more accessible for people 

with disabilities and veterans 

with disabilities. EAC being 

established by HAVA is great, 

along with the leadership the 

Commission has provided 

in helping both voters with 

disabilities and election 

officials.”

Lee Page, Senior Associate 

Director for Advocacy for 

the Paralyzed Veterans of 

America.

EAC Annual Report 2017 
22

Advancing Accessibility

The EAC held “Election Innovations: Helping Veterans with Disabilities in the Voting 

Process,” a public meeting between election officials and disability rights advocates, on 

July 18, 2017. The discussion, moderated by Chairman Matthew Masterson, underscored 

the importance of efforts to ensure accessible and independent voting for all Americans, 

including U.S. veterans and veterans with disabilities.

The EAC, state and local election 

officials, and the Association of 

Programs for Rural Independent Living 

(APRIL) gathered to hear feedback from 

people with disabilities about voting in 

rural America at the 23rd annual APRIL 

Conference on October 21, 2017. 

Election officials, voting rights groups, 

academics and translation experts 

came together for the EAC’s second 

Language Access for Voters Summit on 

June 6, 2017. Topics included federal 

legal requirements for language 

assistance, outreach to voters and 

community leaders, challenges with 

serving voters whose first language is 

not English, tools and best practices 

for effective language assistance, 

and recruiting, training, and retaining 

bilingual election workers.

EAC Annual Report 2017
Sharing Successes

2017 National Competition for Best Practices in 

Election Administration

While the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) has collected 

election administration data for over a decade, until recently it 

had no mechanism for recognizing jurisdictions that stand out for 

launching outstanding initiatives that other officials may want to 

emulate. That changed in 2016 when the EAC launched a national 

competition for best practices in election administration. Named the 

“Clearies,” a nod to HAVA’s mandate that the EAC serve as a national 

clearinghouse of information on election administration, this annual 

competition recognizes and celebrates the hard work and innovative 

thinking it takes to conduct a successful election. 

This year, the “Clearies” sought entries in three distinct categories: 

voting accessibility, outstanding innovations in elections, and 

recruiting, training and retaining election workers. The EAC received 

entries from dozens of states, counties and advocacy organizations. 

From there, an independent panel of judges from across the country 

evaluated entries based on efficacy, innovation, sustainability, 

cost-effectiveness and replicability. In the end, eight innovative 

approaches were selected to receive an award. 

The 2017 “Clearies” recipients featured jurisdictions and 

organizations that differed greatly in terms of size, number of 

“We are honored to be recognized 

by the U.S. Election Assistance 

Commission as an innovator 

in election administration, and 

we are grateful for the support 

we received from community 

partners who helped make it 

possible to spread our message 

about the three ways to vote in 

Florida elections. Without their 

assistance, we could not have 

achieved our goal of increasing 

voter awareness.” 

Leslie Swan, Supervisor of 

Elections, Indian River County.

EAC Annual Report 2017 23
24

Sharing Successes

voters served and budgets available to them. Some made cutting-edge technological changes 

to their systems, while others streamlined operations and election worker training. Yet all 

demonstrated the intense dedication, adaptability and resourcefulness that is necessary for 

administering accurate, accessible and secure elections in the 21st century. 

The 2017 “Clearie” honorees brought fresh, inspiring approaches to their work. The EAC is 

proud to lift up their accomplishments and looks forward to next year’s competition.

Outstanding Innovations 

in Elections

Denver County, Colorado

In 2015, Denver County launched eSign, a first-in-the-nation mobile petition signing 

application. eSign allows candidates to use tablets signed with a stylus to gather petition 

signatures. The app keeps a running tally of how many petition signatures have been collected 

and is also able to confirm if a signer is a registered voter. Prior to the development of eSign, 

candidates had to collect signatures on paper petitions, turn them into the Denver Elections 

Division and wait for them to be verified. Historically, 30-35 percent of those signatures were 

invalid, compared to just 1-3 percent of signatures collected using eSign. 

Indian River County, Florida

Indian River County’s “Post the Vote” voter outreach program utilized storefront 

concrete posts, also called “bollards,” to promote awareness and participation for 

the 2016 federal election. Sixty bollard covers were mounted in front of 24 publicly 

funded schools, four McDonald’s, two libraries, four county offices, two municipal buildings, 

two recreation centers, a food bank, two local businesses and one state college. Each bollard 

promoted the “3 Ways to Vote” in Indian River County: Early Voting, Vote by Mail and Voting on 

Election Day, with a URL where voters could find additional information. 

Pierce County, Washington

In 2016, Pierce County upgraded from an optical scan ballot tabulation system to a 

digital scan system and developed “Batch Tracker Manager” – a SQL database with 

Microsoft Access interface, used in conjunction with unique barcoded target cards. Pierce County 

reported the new batch tracking system reduced ballot handling time, improved reconciliation 

and eliminated multiple layers of paperwork, resulting in efficiencies and cost savings.

EAC Annual Report 2017 
25

Sharing Successes

Accessibility for Voters 

with Disabilities 

Disability Rights, Texas and Collin County Democrats with Disabilities 

In 2016, Collin County Democrats with Disabilities (CCDWD) partnered with the Collin 

County, Texas elections office and a coalition of nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy 

groups, including Disability Rights Texas, to address potential accessibility issues for voters with 

disabilities at the polls. This included a curbside voting drive-by review to ensure that if a voter 

was physically unable to enter a polling place, they could have a ballot brought to the entrance or 

to a car parked at the curbside. After the election, CCDWD met with the Collin County elections 

office and recommended continuing the review project during the 2017 and 2018 election cycles. 

CCDWD also recommended including disability representation on the county’s Election Board 

and including ADA requirements and discussions in election worker trainings.

El Paso County, Colorado

Ahead of the 2016 federal election, the elections department partnered with the 

Independence Center – a local nonprofit dedicated to supporting independent living for the 

disabled community – to improve voting accessibility. Together, these entities hosted an open 

house for voters with disabilities to practice on accessible voting machines prior to Election Day, 

and provided disability etiquette training to over 200 election judges. During the Presidential 

Election, the Independence Center served as a voter service and polling center, giving hundreds 

of people the opportunity to cast a ballot in a highly accessible center.

Washington Secretary of State 

In 2016, the Secretary of State’s office worked with the Statewide Disability Advisory 

Committee and other stakeholders to redesign their voter information portal, MyVote, 

and ensure the tool was more accessible and easy to use for all voters across the state, 

specifically voters with disabilities. The Secretary of State’s office reported that MyVote received 

nearly two million views after it was launched and supported a record number of online voter 

registrations submitted (27,601) on a single day in Washington. The new portal also received 

positive feedback from the accessibility community and there were no reported accessibility 

issues.

EAC Annual Report 2017 
26

Sharing Successes

Recruiting, Training and 

Retaining Poll Workers

Minneapolis, Minnesota 

Since 1991, the Minneapolis Student Election Judge Program has engaged high school 

students ages 16 and older as poll workers on Election Day. These students receive 

the same training as and work alongside adult election judges, performing all the 

same duties at the same rate of pay. In doing so, the program increases the number of bilingual 

election judges, addresses the need for tech-adept poll workers, increases the diversity of 

Minneapolis election judges and helps high school students attain civic skills and get involved in 

their community. In 2016, 352 student election judges served during the 2016 general election. 

For the 2017 municipal election, 291 student election judges were assigned across Minneapolis’ 

132 precincts and accounted for more than 10 percent of the city’s election workforce. 

Port Huron Township, Michigan

Port Huron Township was recognized for its recently revamped training and operation 

processes that have substantially increased the township’s accuracy and efficiency 

on Election Day at no additional cost. The township provides election workers with a 

color-coded, categorized, easy-to-understand manual and an interactive hands-on training. On 

Election Day, workers receive several bins with equipment and supplies. Each bin is color-coded 

and each item within the container is labeled and coded with the same color. 

EAC Annual Report 2017 
Financial Focus: Operations

$1.4 million

Funds allocated to 

National Institute 

of Standards & 

Technology (NIST)

$8.2 million

Funds allocated to 

Election Assistance 

Commission (EAC)

$9.6

million

FY17 Appropriation

FY13 - 16 Appropriation

FY13

EAC- $8.292 million

NIST- $2.754 million

$11.046

million

FY14

EAC- $8.1 million

NIST- $1.9 million

$10

million

FY15

EAC- $8.1 million

NIST- $1.9 million

$10

million

FY16

EAC- $8.1 million

NIST- $1.5 million

$9.6

million

25 Staff Members

3 Commissioners

EAC Annual Report 2017 27
14

10

Financial Focus: Grants

more than 

$3.3 billion

Grant Administration

Amount the EAC has administered 

since its establishment 15 years ago 

to the 50 states, American Samoa, 

the District of Columbia, Guam, the 

Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and 

the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Additional interest HAVA grant funds 

accrued, which was also available to 

states and territories.

$352,759,159

Approximate percentage of HAVA 

funds that states used to upgrade 

voting and voter registration systems 

to meet HAVA requirements.

70%

Voting Equipment

The majority of voting 

equipment was purchased 

over 10 years ago and as 

long as 14 years ago.

2017

EAC Annual Report 2017 28
EAC Annual Report 2017 29

Financial Focus: Grants

HAVA provided funds to replace punch 

card and lever voting machines, improve 

the administration of Federal elections 

and ensure that every state, plus the 

District of Columbia and four other 

U.S. territories (hereafter ‘States’ ) 

had the resources needed to become 

compliant with the new requirements 

found in Title III of HAVA. Funds were 

distributed on a formula based in part 

on the voting age population of each 

state, with the requirement that funds 

be placed in interest bearing accounts. 

Funds were expended at the states’ 

discretion according to HAVA mandated 

state plans. As of September 30, 2017, 

states reported that less than 9 percent 

of $323 million in funds and accrued 

interest remain unspent. Fifty percent 

of the unspent funds ($163 million) are 

concentrated in 12 states that were 

able to meet HAVA requirements by 

expending HAVA funds at a lower rate 

than their counterparts in 31 States that 

have another $160 million in unspent 

funds.

Based on past spending patterns, the 

EAC estimates that states have spent 

an additional $50 million in HAVA funds 

during fiscal year 2017, bringing total 

funds available to approximately $298 

million.

14 states* have expended 100% of 

their HAVA funds and interest.

*Guam, Idaho, Iowa+, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, 

Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana+

, 

Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio+

, and Rhode Island.

29 additional states* have less than 

10% of HAVA funds remaining.

*Alabama, American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, 

California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, 

Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, 

Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North 

Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South 

Carolina, Texas, Utah, U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, 

Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and 

Wyoming. 

12 states* have more than 10% of 

HAVA funds remaining.

*Alaska, District of Columbia, Hawaii, 

Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, 

Oklahoma, Oregon, Puerto Rico, South Dakota, 

Tennessee, and Vermont.

Amount the EAC has in funds 

that states have yet to request.

< $800,000

All data current as of September 30, 2016.

+Reporting funds remaining of less than 1%.
30

Information on HAVA grants, payments, and 

reports from grantees and recipients of HAVA 

payments can be found on www.eac.gov.

Additionally, the EAC publishes an annual 

Expenditure Report. The most recent 

expenditure report from FY16 report can be 

found here.

“While HAVA money is running out, 

the challenges our election officials 

face endure. The EAC continues 

to put its time and resources into 

working with the nation’s election 

officials to ensure accessible, 

secure, and well-administered 

elections.”

-Chairman Matthew V. Masterson
Resource Roundup

The Election Assistance Commission has long served as a hub for 

American election information and best practices. Our mission is to 

help voters and provide election officials with the information they 

need to maintain and improve voting systems and processes. 

In 2017, we launched a series of new resources to support that goal, 

including: 

Online Presence

In March, the EAC launched its new website. The EAC’s new dynamic 

online presence has allowed the Commission to better fulfill its 

HAVA mandate as a national clearinghouse of information on 

election administration. The site better showcases our resources 

and is easier for election officials and voters to navigate. 

The EAC’s social media profiles have also experienced significant 

growth. The Commission’s Facebook following grew by 254 percent 

in the last year and our Twitter following grew by over 135 percent, 

broadening the audience of people in our online community who 

are among the first to know about new products and resources. 

Public Awareness Campaigns

Throughout 2017, the EAC mounted several month-long awareness 

campaigns tied to key dates on the election calendar. These 

thematic campaigns guided our public engagement activities and 

the resources we developed throughout the year. 

Twitter grew by over 135%

Facebook grew by over 254%

2016

2016

2017

2017

Social Media Followers

EAC Annual Report 2017 31
Resource Roundup

The EAC kicked off the year by focusing 

on the collection of data for the Election 

Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS). 

Through blogs and social media, the 

Commission highlighted ways election officials 

could use the data to improve voter experience 

and provided a preview of improvements 

designed to make this year’s report easier to 

digest. 

During March, the Commission focused 

its attention on voter registration list 

maintenance. Through webcasts, blog posts, 

opinion articles, and other resources, the 

Commission highlighted the importance of 

election officials maintaining accurate voter 

registration lists and the need for voters to 

keep their registrations current.

In September, the EAC conducted a 

“Registration =>Participation” campaign to 

highlight the importance of registering to vote 

and keeping your voter registration current. 

The campaign, which preceded National Voter 

Registration Day on September 26, included 

blog posts, social media engagement, the 

release of new resources, and other innovate 

approaches to reaching the EAC’s key 

audiences.

In October, the EAC launched its “Be Prepared, 

Not Scared” campaign to promote cyber 

security best practices, including how to 

increase the protection of digital systems and 

developing robust cyber incident response 

plans. 

Similarly, during National Veterans and Military 

Families Month in November, the EAC focused 

much of its external communications on 

highlighting existing materials and creating 

new resources to assist veterans, veterans with 

disabilities and active duty service members 

living overseas with the voting process.

Video Resources

The Election Assistance Commission convened 

and streamed public meetings and roundtable 

discussions featuring election leaders and 

other content experts discussing timely topics, 

such as cybersecurity, helping veterans with 

disabilities in the voting process, and best 

practices for voter list maintenance. The 

EAC also shared videos of keynote speeches 

and workshops, such as the 2017 Language 

Access Summit, as well as important public 

EAC Annual Report 2017 32
Resource Roundup

meetings and hearings, including the EAC’s 

public hearing on critical infrastructure and the 

Technical Guidelines Development Committee 

meeting. 

In addition, the Commission continued 

its Legends of Elections video series that 

showcases long-form sit-down interviews with 

some of the best leaders in the field of election 

administration, and some past luminaries who 

have left the profession. These conversations 

capture election knowledge and wisdom 

that can only be gained through decades of 

experience with the voting process. 

Ben Spear, Senior Intelligence Analyst for the 

Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis 

Center (MS-ISAC), gives a presentation on cyber 

threat information sharing during the EAC’s 

Cybersecurity Roundtable on October 4, 2017.

017 Resource Snapshot

10

public events, hearings 

and roundtables

6

fact sheets

10

reports, white papers, 

briefs, glossaries and 

checklists

68

press releases

50

videos

99

blog posts

Guest Blogs

The EAC also shares best practices through 

guest blogs from experts in the field of 

election administration, including state 

executive officials, state and local election 

officials and other election stakeholders. 

The Commission shares these pieces on our 

website and via social media. Topics range 

from how to conduct a risk-limiting audit to 

addressing issues veterans and veterans with 

disabilities can face at the polls. Facilitating 

this kind of information sharing between 

election professionals is a key component of 

our work and helps fulfill the Commission’s 

mandate to serve as a national clearinghouse 

of information on election administration. 

2

EAC Annual Report 2017 33
Executive Director’s Note

During my 11 years as a local election 

administrator, I was often asked: “What do 

you do when there isn’t an election?”

I never knew the best way to answer because in those 11 years, we were always working 

on an active election. In fact, though we administered 70 elections, only 20 were 

regularly scheduled elections, so we became very adept at preparing for unforeseen 

challenges. 

Election officials know to prepare for the unexpected, whether it is a special election or 

a new security threat. For the last 15 years, the mission of the U.S. Election Assistance 

Commission has been to provide state and local election officials with the support they 

need to administer secure, accessible and accurate elections. Continuing to live that 

mission will require that the Commission ensures election officials are equipped to 

effectively manage any challenge that may lie ahead. 

As election officials look to the 2018 federal election, the EAC’s charge as clear as ever. 

Our Commission will spend every day of the coming year working on tangible ways we 

can “help America vote” and add measurable value to the election community. We will 

work to make sure all eligible voters have easy access to information about election 

deadlines, voter registration information and their voting rights. The EAC will increase 

support for accessibility work, including for voters with disabilities, those with Limited 

English Proficiency, and Americans who are living overseas or deployed with our nation’s 

armed services. We will also help officials navigate the challenges that come with 

managing aging election equipment and moving toward more innovative technologies 

and approaches.

In doing so, we can help election administrators prepare for any situation that may 

arise. Challenges posed by new technologies, inclement weather and natural disasters, 

and those seeking to disrupt elections often come with little warning. However, the 

Commission is committed to helping election administrators defend, detect and recover 

from any threat that may present itself. We will prepare hands-on cybersecurity training, 

detailed checklists and other robust resources that can help secure the nation’s election 

systems. We will supplement these approaches with efforts to connect election officials 

EAC Annual Report 2017 34
Executive Director’s Note

with the best expertise and support available from academia, the private sector, and our fellow federal 

agencies. 

As we enter into a new year, Americans can take great comfort in the dedication with which election 

officials have tackled these challenges and the diligent work they have undertaken to address 

potential threats. Voters should also feel confident knowing election officials are, in effect, serving 

on the frontlines of administering and protecting American democracy. Elections are administered by 

incredible project managers who, collectively, have a reputation of excellence. 

I understand first-hand the operational challenges these officials grapple with. I am proud in my role 

as Executive Director of the EAC to recognize the great work they are doing. 

I also feel privileged to lead an equally devoted and capable staff at the EAC to provide support 

so these officials can be more successful and efficient as they pull off one of the most logistically 

demanding tasks imaginable: administering America’s elections. 

Brian D. Newby 

Executive Director

U.S. Election Assistance Commission

EAC Annual Report 2017 35
EAC Federal Advisory Committees

There are three HAVA-federal advisory committees that help the 

EAC complete its mission. They are: (1) the Standards Board, (2) the 

Board of Advisors, and (3) the Technical Guidelines Development 

Committee (TGDC). Each board is composed of experts from the 

field and representatives of the government. 

HAVA mandates that the Standards Board and the Board of Advisors 

shall review the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG) and best 

practice recommendations. The TGDC is tasked with drafting and 

recommending versions of the VVSG. After drafting and finalizing 

a recommended version of the VVSG, the TGDC presents the 

VVSG to the Executive Director of the EAC. The Executive Director 

then presents the VVSG to the Standards Board and the Board 

of Advisors, both of which review and provide comments to the 

Commission.

Board of Advisors

The Board of Advisors is a 35-member board composed of 

representatives from the National Governors Association; 

National Conference of State Legislatures; National Association 

of Secretaries of State; The National Association of State 

Election Directors; National Association of Counties; the 

International Association of Government Officials (created from 

EAC Annual Report 2017 36
37

EAC Federal Advisory Committees

the merger of the National Association of County Recorders, Election Officials 

and Clerks and the International Association of Clerks, Recorders, Election 

Officials and Treasurers); Election Center; International Association of Clerks, 

Recorders, Election Officials, and Treasurers; U.S. Commission on Civil Rights; and 

Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board.

Other members include representatives from the U.S. Department of Justice, 

Office of Public Integrity, and the Civil Rights Division; the director of the U.S. 

Department of Defense Federal Voting Assistance Program; four professionals 

from the field of science and technology, one each appointed by the Speaker 

and the Minority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, and the Majority 

and Minority leaders of the U.S. Senate; and eight members representing voter 

interests, with the chairs and the ranking minority members of the U.S. House 

of Representatives Committee on House Administration and the U.S. Senate 

Committee on Rules and Administration each appointing two members. Following 

the passage of HAVA, the National Association of County Recorders, Election 

Officials and Clerks and the International Association of Clerks, Recorders, 

Election Officials, and Treasurers merged to form the International Association of 

Government Officials.

During FY17, the EAC Board of Advisors was comprised of the following members.

Members

NATIONAL GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION (2) 

Jeff McLeod

Director NGA Homeland

Security & Public Safety Division

Washington, D.C.

Elizabeth Howard

Deputy Commissioner 

Virginia Department

of Elections

Richmond, VA

Senator John Murante 

Nebraska State Legislature 

Gretna, NE

NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF STATE LEGISLATIONS (2) 

Senator Daniel Ivey-Soto

New Mexico State Legislature

Albuquerque, NM

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SECRETARIES OF STATE (2)

The Honorable Connie Lawson

Indiana Secretary of State

Indianapolis, IN

The Honorable Denise Merrill

Connecticut Secretary of State 

and NASS Immediate Past President

Hartford, CT

EAC Annual Report 2017 
38

EAC Federal Advisory Committees

Linda H. Lamone 

Administrator of Elections

Maryland State Board of Elections 

Annapolis, MD

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE ELECTION DIRECTORS (2) 

Gary Poser

Director of Elections

Minnesota Secretary of State

Saint Paul, MN

Alysoun McLaughlin

Deputy Election Director 

Montgomery County

Gaithersburg, MD

NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF STATE LEGISLATURES (2) 

Ricky Hatch

County Clerk/Auditor

Weber County

Ogden, UT

Vacant

UNITED STATES CONFERENCE OF MAYORS (2) 

Vacant

THE ELECTION CENTER (2) 

Tim Mattice

Executive Director

The Election Center

Katy, TX

Ernie Hawkins 

Chair, Board of Directors 

The Election Center 

Elk Grove, CA

INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS 

(merger of IACREOT and NACRC) (2) 

Michael B. Winn

Travis County Director of Elections

Austin, TX

Neal Kelley 

Registrar of Voters, 

Orange County

Santa Ana, CA

Michael Yaki 

U. S. Commission on Civil Rights 

Commissioner 

Washington, D.C.

UNITED STATES COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS (2)

Patricia Timmons-Goodson

U. S. Commission on Civil Rights

Vice Chair

Washington, D.C.

Matt McCullough 

Public Member

U.S. Access Board

Washington, D.C.

ARCHITECTURAL AND TRANSPORTATION BARRIER 

COMPLIANCE BOARD (2) Marc Guthrie

Public Member

U.S. Access Board

Newark, OH

EAC Annual Report 2017 
39

EAC Federal Advisory Committees

CHIEF, OFFICE OF PUBLIC INTEGRITY, UNITED STATES 

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (1) 

Richard C. Pilger 

Director, Election Crimes Branch 

U. S. Department of Justice 

Washington, D.C.

CHIEF, VOTING SECTION, CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION, UNITED 

STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (1) 

Chris Herren 

Chief, Voting Section 

Civil Rights Division 

U. S. Department of Justice 

Washington, D.C.

DIRECTOR, FEDERAL VOTING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, U.S. 

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (1) 

David Beirne 

Director, Federal Voting Assistance Program 

U.S. Dept. of Defense 

Alexandria, VA

SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE (1)

Elliot S. Berke

Managing Partner

Berke Farah LLP

Washington, DC

HOUSE MINORITY LEADER (1) 

Phillip B. Stark 

Associate Dean, Mathematical & Physical 

Sciences and Professor of Statistics 

University of California - Berkeley

SENATE MAJORITY LEADER (1)

Sarah Ball Johnson 

City Clerk, Colorado Springs CO 

Colorado Springs, CO 

SENATE MINORITY LEADER (1)

Barbara Simons, PhD 

Association for Computing Machinery

San Francisco, CA

EAC Annual Report 2017 
EAC Federal Advisory Committees

HOUSE ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE

CHAIR (2)

OP

 

T. Russell Nobile 

Attorney at Law 

Jackson, MS 

Spencer Ritchie 

Executive Director, MSG

Jackson, MS

HOUSE ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE

RANKING MEMBER (2) 

Gregory T. Moore

Upper Marlboro, MD

James R. Burn, Jr. 

Pittsburgh, PA

Shane Schoeller

Greene County Clerk

Springfield, MO

SENATE RULES & ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE

CHAIR (2) 

Matthew Clay McDonald 

Attorney/Partner, Jones Walker LLP

Mobile, AL

SENATE RULES & ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE

RANKING MEMBER (2)

James C. Dickson 

Co-Chair, Voting Rights Task Force 

National Council on Independent Living 

Washington, D.C.

Mark Ritchie 

President

MN World’s Fair Bid 

Minneapolis, MN

DESIGNATED FEDERAL OFFICER

Thomas Hicks, Vice Chairman

U.S. Election Assistance Commission

40
41

EAC Federal Advisory Committees

Standards Board

HAVA designates a 110-member Standards Board to assist EAC in carrying out its 

mandates under the law. The board consists of 55 state election officials selected by 

their respective chief state election official, and 55 local election officials selected 

through a process supervised by the chief state election official.

HAVA prohibits any two members representing the same state to be members of 

the same political party. The board selects nine members to serve as an executive 

board, of which not more than five are state election officials, not more than five 

are local election officials, and not more than five are members of the same political 

party.

During FY17, the EAC Standards Board was comprised of the following members. 

Members

STATE ELECTION OFFICIAL LOCAL ELECTION OFFICIAL

Alabama

John H. Merrill

Alabama Secretary of State

Montgomery, AL

Steven L. Reed

Probate Judge

Montgomery County

Montgomery, AL

Alaska

Josie Bahnke

Director, Division of Elections

State of Alaska

Juneau, AK

Carol Thompson

Absentee & Petition Manager

Alaska Division of Elections

Anchorage, AK

American Samoa

Uiagalelei Lealofi

Commissioner of Elections

Pago Pago, AS

Fiti Tavai

IT/Data Systems & UOCAVA 

Division Head

Pago Pago, AS

Arizona

Eric H. Spencer

State Election Director

Phoenix, AZ

Reynaldo Valenzuela Jr. 

Assistant Director of Elections

Maricopa County Elections

Phoenix, AZ

EAC Annual Report 2017 
42

EAC Federal Advisory Committees

STATE ELECTION OFFICIAL LOCAL ELECTION OFFICIAL

Arkansas

Chad Pekron

Attorney

Quattlebaum, Grooms, Tull & Barrow

Little Rock, AR

California

Melanie Clark

Jackson County Clerk

Newport, AR

Susan Lapsley

Assistant Secretary of State

for Elections

Help America Vote Act 

Coordinator

Sacramento, CA

Neal Kelley

Registrar of Voters

Orange County

Santa Ana, CA

Colorado

Dwight K. Shellman III

County Support Manager

Colorado Department of State, 

Elections Division

Denver, CO

Rudy Santos

Chief Deputy Clerk

Weld County Clerk & 

Recorder’s Office

Greeley, CO

Connecticut

Peggy Reeves

Assistant to the Secretary of the 

State for Elections, Legislative and 

Intergovernmental Affairs

Hartford, CT

Timothy T. DeCarlo

Registrar of Voters

Waterbury, CT

Delaware

Elaine Manlove

State Election Commissioner

Dover, DE

Howard G. Sholl, Jr. 

Deputy Director

Department of Elections 

for New Castle County

Wilmington, DE

District of Columbia

Alice P. Miller, Esq. 

Executive Director

District of Columbia Board of Elections

Washington, DC

Michael D. Gill, Esq. 

Board Member

District of Columbia Board of Elections

Washington, DC

EAC Annual Report 2017 
43

EAC Federal Advisory Committees

STATE ELECTION OFFICIAL LOCAL ELECTION OFFICIAL

Florida

Maria Matthews

Division Director

Florida Division of Elections

Tallahassee, FL

Paul Lux

Okaloosa County 

Supervisor of Elections

Crestview, FL

Georgia

Brian Kemp

Georgia Secretary of State

Atlanta, GA

Lynn Bailey

Richmond County Elections Director

Augusta, GA

Guam

Maria I.D. Pangelinan

Executive Director

Guam Election Commission

Hagatna, GU

Joseph P. Iseke

Election Program Coordinator

Guam Election Commission

Hagatna, GU

Hawaii

Aulii Tenn

Counting Center Section Heard

Office of Elections

Pearl City, HI

Shirley Magarifuji

Election Administrator, 

County of Maui

Wailuku, HI

Idaho

Tim Hurst

Chief Deputy Secretary of State

Boise, ID

Patty Weeks

Nex Perce County Clerk

Lewiston, ID

Illinois

Bernadette Matthews

Assistant Executive Director

State Board of Elections

Springfield, IL

Lance Gough

Executive Director

Chicago Board of Election Commission

Chicago, IL

Indiana

J. Bradley King

Indiana Election Division Director

Indianapolis, IN

Terri J. Rethlake

Clerk of Circuit Court

St. Joseph County

South Bend, IN

EAC Annual Report 2017 
44

EAC Federal Advisory Committees

STATE ELECTION OFFICIAL LOCAL ELECTION OFFICIAL

Iowa

Carol Olson

Deputy Secretary of State

Des Moines, IA

Dennis Parrott

Jasper County Auditor

Newton, IA

Kansas

Bryan A. Caskey

Director of Elections

Topeka, KS

Lori Augustine

Trego County Clerk

WaKeeney, KS

Kentucky

Vacant Barbara ‘Bobbie’ Holsclaw

Jefferson County Clerk

Louisville, KY

Louisiana

Angie Rogers

Commissioner of Elections

Baton Rouge, LA

Louis Perret

Clerk of Court

Lafayette Parish

Lafayette, LA

Maine

Julie L. Flynn

Deputy Secretary of State

Augusta, ME

Katherine L. Jones

Portland City Clerk

Portland, ME

Maryland

Nikki Baines Charlson

Deputy Administrator

Maryland State Board of Elections

Katie Brown

Election Director

Baltimore County Board of Elections

Catonsville, MD

Massachusetts

Michelle K. Tassinari

Director/Legal Counsel 

Elections Division

Office of Secretary

of the Commonwealth

Boston, MA

John McGarry

Executive Director

Elections Commission

City of Brockton

Brockton, MA

EAC Annual Report 2017 
45

EAC Federal Advisory Committees

STATE ELECTION OFFICIAL LOCAL ELECTION OFFICIAL

Michigan

Sally Williams

Director, Election Liaison Division

Michigan Bureau of Elections

Lansing, MI

Jan Roncelli

Clerk, Bloomfield Township

Bloomfield Township, MI

Minnesota

Gary Poser

Director of Elections

Minnesota Secretary of State

Saint Paul, MN

Debby Erickson

Administrative Services Director

Crow Wing County

Brainerd, MN

Mississippi

Hawley Robertson

Senior Attorney, Elections Division

Jackson, MS

Baretta Mosley

Lafayette County Circuit Clerk

Oxford, MS

Missouri

Chrissy Peters

Co-Director of Elections

Jefferson City, MO

Dennis Von Allmen

Howell County Clerk

West Plains, MO

Montana

Dana Corson

Director of Elections and Voter Services

Montana Secretary of State

Helena, MT

Rina Fontana Moore

Cascade County Clerk & Recorder

Great Falls, MT

Nebraska

Vacant David Shively

Lancaster County Election Commissioner

Lincoln, NW

Nevada

Justus Wendland

HAVA Administrator

Nevada Secretary of State

Carson City, NV

Joseph P. Gloria

Registrar of Voter, Clark County

North Las Vegas, NV

EAC Annual Report 2017 
46

EAC Federal Advisory Committees

STATE ELECTION OFFICIAL LOCAL ELECTION OFFICIAL

New Hampshire

Anthony Stevens

Assistant Secretary of State

Concord, NH

Robert Dezmelyk

Moderator

Town of Newton

Newton, NH

New Jersey

Robert Giles

Director, New Jersey Division

of Elections

Trenton, NJ

Linda Von Nessi

Essex County Clerk of Elections

Newark, NJ

New Mexico

Kari Fresquez

Bureau of Elections Director

Santa Fe, NM

Dave Kunko

Chaves County Clerk

Roswell, NM

New York

Douglas A. Kellner

Commissioner, Co-Chair

NYS Board of Elections

New York, NY

Rachel L. Bledi

Commissioner

Albany County of Elections

Albany, NY

North Carolina

Veronica Degraffenreid

Election Preparation & Support Manager

Raleigh, NC

Michael Dickerson

Mecklenburg County Director of 

Elections

Charlotte, NC

North Dakota

Jim Silrum

Deputy Secretary of State

Bismarck, ND

DeAnn Buckhouse

Election Coordinator

Fargo, ND

Ohio

Patricia Wolfe

Election Administrator

Ohio Secretary of State

Columbus, OH

Steve Harsman

Deputy Director

Montgomery County Board of Elections

Dayton, OH

EAC Annual Report 2017 
47

EAC Federal Advisory Committees

STATE ELECTION OFFICIAL LOCAL ELECTION OFFICIAL

Oklahoma

Carol Morris

Assistant Director of Support Services

Oklahoma State Election Board

Oklahoma City, OK

Doug Sanderson

Secretary

Oklahoma County Election Board

Oklahoma, OK

Oregon

Stephen N. Trout

Director of Elections

Oregon Secretary of State

Salem, OR

Derrin ‘Dag’ Robinson

Harney County Clerk

Burns, OR

Pennsylvania

Jonathan Marks

Commissioner of Elections

Harrisburg, PA

Sheri Brewer

Director

Butler County Board of Elections

Butler, PA

Puerto Rico

Ramón Allende Santos

Ayudante del Comisionado

San Juan, PR

Walter Vélez Martínez

Secretario

Dorado, PR

Rhode Island

Rob Rock

Director of Elections

Providence, RI

Louise Phaneuf

Town Clerk

Town of Burrillville

Harrisville, RI

South Carolina

Marci Andino

Executive Director

State Election Commission

Columbia, SC

Wanda Hemphill

Director, York County Board of 

Registration & Elections

York, SC

South Dakota

Kristin Gabriel

South Dakota HAVA Coordinator

Pierre, SD

Jerry Schwarting

Mellette County Auditor

White River, SD

EAC Annual Report 2017 
48

EAC Federal Advisory Committees

STATE ELECTION OFFICIAL LOCAL ELECTION OFFICIAL

Tennessee

Mark Goins

Coordinator of Elections

Nashville, TN

A.J. Starling

Davidson County Election Commissioner

Nashville, TN

Texas

Keith Ingram

Director, Elections Division

Texas Secretary of State

Austin, TX

Dana DeBeauvoir

Travis County Clerk

Austin, TX

Utah

Justin Lee

Director of Elections

Salt Lake City, UT

Sherrie Swensen

Salt Lake County Clerk

Salt Lake City, UT

Vermont

William Senning

Director of Elections & Campaign 

Finance

Montpelier, VT

Sandra ‘Sandy’ Pinsonault, MMC

Dorset, VT Town Clerk

Dorset, VT

Virgin Islands

Lisa Harris Moorehead

Member, Virgin Islands Board of 

Elections

Kingshill, VI

Genevieve Whitaker

Deputy Supervisor of Elections

Kingshill, VI

Virginia

Edgardo Cortes

Commissioner of Elections

Richmond, VA

Greg S. Riddlemoser

General Registrar

Stafford, VA

Washington

Stuart Holmes

Election Information Services 

Supervisor

Olympia, WA

Kristina Swanson

Cowlitz County Auditor

Kelso, WA

EAC Annual Report 2017 
49

EAC Federal Advisory Committees

STATE ELECTION OFFICIAL LOCAL ELECTION OFFICIAL

West Virginia

Brittany Westfall

SVRS Coordinator, Elections

West Virginia Secretary of State

Charleston, WV

Brian Wood

Putnam County Clerk

Winfield, WV

Wisconsin

Michael Haas

Elections Division Administrator

Madison, WI

Barbara K.D. Goeckner

City of Amery Deputy Clerk

Amery, WI

Wyoming

Kai Schon

State Election Director

Cheyenne, WY

Jackie R. Gonzales

Albany County Clerk

Laramie, WY

Designated Federal Officer

Christy McCormick, Commissioner

U.S. Election Assistance Commission

EAC Annual Report 2017 
50

EAC Federal Advisory Committees

Technical Guidelines and Development Committee (TGDC)

The Technical Guidelines Development Committee (TGDC) assists EAC in 

developing the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines. The chairperson of the TGDC 

is the director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The 

TGDC is composed of 14 other members appointed jointly by EAC and the director 

of NIST. 

During FY17, the TGDC was comprised of the following members. 

Members

Walter Copan

Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology

Director, National Institute for Standards and Technology

CHAIR

Robert Giles

Greg Riddlemoser

EAC STANDARDS BOARD

Linda Lamone

Neal Kelley

EAC BOARD OF ADVISORS

ARCHITECTURAL AND 

TRANSPORTATION BARRIER

COMPLIANCE BOARD (ACCESS BOARD)

Marc Guthrie

Mat McCollough

Vacant

INSTITUTE OF ELECTRICAL AND 

ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS (IEEE)

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF 

STATE ELECTION DIRECTORS 

(NASED)

Lori Augino

Judd Choate

EAC Annual Report 2017 
51

EAC Federal Advisory Committees

TECHNICAL EXPERTS

McDermot Coutts

Diane Golden

Jeramy Gray

David Wagner

AMERICAN NATIONAL STANDARDS INSTITUTE (ANSI)

Anne Caldas

DESIGNATED FEDERAL OFFICER

Matthew V. Masterson, Chairman

U.S. Election Assistance Commission

EAC Annual Report 2017 
U.S. Election Assistance Commission

1335 East West Highway, Suite 4300

Silver Spring, Maryland 20910

1-866-747-1471

www.eac.gov