Standards Board Newsletter 

September 2015 

Volume 2, Issue 4 

Executive Board of the Standards Board

Brad King, IN State, Chair 

Sandi Wesolowski, WI Local, Vice-Chair 

Edgardo Cortes, VA State, Secretary 

Mark Goins, TN State 

Paul Lux, FL Local 

Gary Poser, MN State 

Jerry Schwarting, SD Local 

Rey Valenzuela, AZ Local 

Vacancy, State Representative 

U.S. Election Assistance Commission 

1335 E West Highway • Suite 4300 • Silver Spring, MD 20910

www.eac.gov 
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Letter from the Chair

Best Wishes for the Journey Ahead!

The members of the Executive Board were saddened to learn recently that Peggy Nighswonger, State Representative from 

Wyoming, had resigned as a member of the Executive Board and as State Representative. 

Peg had been a state election administrator since 1996, and in 2009 served as President of the National Association of State 

Election Directors (NASED). 

I recently sent her the following as an expression of the esteem in which she is held, by both the Standards Board and NASED: 

“On behalf of all the members of the Standards Board Executive Board, please permit me to express our heartfelt thanks to you 

for all of your work on the Board's behalf. 

Your dedicated service as chair of the EAC Executive Director Search Committee was just the latest example of the persistent, 

cut-to-the-chase determination you brought to so many projects we worked on together. 

We will miss you very much, and send you our best wishes and support for the journey ahead.” 

Brad King, Chair 

Standards Board Executive Board Meets September 17 

Establishes EAVS Committee 

During its monthly conference call, the Executive Board received updates from Board members and our Designated Federal 

Officer (DFO). We were joined by Shane Schoeller, Greene County (Missouri) Clerk, and Chair of the Board of Advisors EAC 

Clearinghouse Committee. 

The members were advised that EAC staff member Karen Lynn-Dyson was organizing several working groups with members 

whose individual expertise will be helpful in focusing on specific parts of the EAVS survey, such as UOCAVA questions; NVRA 

questions; and Other questions. Although the EAC does not plan to make any changes to the post-2016 EAVS, planning is now 

underway for the post-2018 version of the survey. 

The Executive Board approved the creation of the EAVS Committee as a “special committee” of the Standards Board under our 

Bylaws to assist with this planning. The Chair designated Sandy Wesolowski to serve as Chair of the EAVS Committee, to be 

assisted by Gary Poser and Lynn Bailey (Local, GA) as its members. 

The Board appreciated hearing from Shane Schoeller regarding the initial organization of the Board of Advisors EAC 

Clearinghouse Committee, and will continue to consider the creation of a Standards Board EAC Clearinghouse Committee to 

ensure that the recommendations made by Standards Board members at the Williamsburg, VA meeting will be voiced. 

Members of the Board discussed the location and schedule for the next meeting of the full membership (see more detailed 

information later in this newsletter). 

The resignation and past service of Peggy Nighswonger was acknowledged by the Executive Board. After reviewing the 

provisions of HAVA and the Bylaws concerning vacancies, the Executive Board decided not to fill the resulting vacancy at this 

time. Instead, members noted that the Bylaws authorized the full membership to elect an Executive Board member at its next 

meeting to serve the remainder of Peggy’s six year term. Jerry Schwarting, the Chair of the Nominating Committee, and his 

fellow Nominating Committee members, will work with EAC staff to begin the nomination and election process. 
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EAC/NIST Voluntary Voting Systems Guidelines (VVSG) Public Working Groups

Following up on his informative note in the last issue of this newsletter, Commissioner Masterson urges state and local election 

officials to participate in the public working group process being conducted by the EAC and NIST. He emphasizes that state and 

local election official involvement in the process will ensure that the next version of the VVSG is developed efficiently and that 

the end result will be correct. Please take a look at 

http://www.nist.gov/itl/vote/public-working-groups.cfm

and consider how you can assist in this effort. 

Keeping our Lists Accurate 

The last issue of this newsletter contained a typographical error in the email address of a Board of Advisors member. The 

correct information is: 

Board of Advisors Bylaws Committee

• Sarah Ball Johnson, Chair (sbJohnson@springsgov.com) 

A body with 110 members can expect vacancies to occur from time to time. The Executive Board thought it would be helpful to 

include a reminder of the requirements and procedures that apply when an individual no longer serves as a Standards Board 

member. 

Article IV of the Bylaws provides that “the chief election official of each state shall notify the EAC and the Executive Board of the 

Standards Board within five (5) business days of any vacancy or membership changes to the Standards Board.” 

The appointment of an individual to fill the vacancy must be made in accordance with Section 213(a) of HAVA, which provides 

for each state to be represented by a state election official selected by the chief election official of that state, and by a local 

elected official selected by each state’s local election officials “in a process supervised by the chief election official of the state.” 

There are specific or special requirements which apply to members representing American Samoa, the District of Columbia, 

Guam, Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands. 

The two members representing the same state may not be members of the same political party. 

It is important for the Standards Board to have full representation from every state, and active participation by each of its 

members! Please notify the Standards Board and EAC as soon as any vacancy occurs and as soon as it is filled. 

Next Standards Board Meeting Date: Tentatively Friday, April 15, 2016 

Thanks for Your Feedback (which is still welcome)! 

The Executive Board continued its discussion of the date for the next meeting of the full membership of the Standards Board. 

The date for this meeting is tentatively set for Friday, April 15, 2016. Board members discussed the feedback received from 

several members, particularly those representing states conducting presidential primaries shortly after that date. In response to 

an email sent by the Chair to members in those Northeastern states, some members indicated that if the meeting were to be 

held in that region, it would make it more likely that they could attend. Other members responded that it would be impossible for 

them (or the other member representing their state) to attend a meeting on that date, regardless of its location. 

EAC staff has conducted some initial research regarding hotel space and availability in several Pennsylvania cities (HarrisburgHershey; Philadelphia; and Pittsburgh). Some members provided feedback suggesting meeting sites such as Portland, OR; 

Seattle, WA; or Wilmington, DE. One member also responded by suggesting a June or July 2016 date instead. 
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The Executive Board will consider every member’s feedback, and hopes to select the site for this meeting during its October 15 

conference call. 

Your feedback on regarding the site and date of our next meeting continues to be welcome. There are a number of unknown 

factors, including federal funding of the EAC and the work of the TGDC, which can also have an important impact on this 

decision. The Executive Board will keep you informed as fully and promptly as possible. 

Announcements 

Executive Board Conference Call

• Thursday, October 15, 2015, 3 p.m. EDT 

Standards Board VVSG Committee Conference Call

• Monday, October 19, 2015, 1 p.m. EDT. 

Technical Guidelines Development Committee Meeting

• Tentatively set for December 2015 

Standards Board Nominating Committee Meeting

• TBD 

Standards Board Full Membership Meeting

• Tentatively set for Friday, April 15, 2016, location TBD 

Thanks to Amy Miller from the Indiana Secretary of State's office for her assistance with the production of this newsletter.