U.S. Election Assistance Commission

Update

2021 Standards 

Board Annual 

Meeting

June 17, 2021
U.S. Election Assistance Commission | www.eac.gov
• Chaired GCC SCC Joint 

COVID Working Group

• Best practices 

documents & hosted 

events

• 2020 Disability and 

Voting Accessibility 

Study 

• $825m in CARES and 

HAVA Security grants

• VVSG 2.0 adopted 

Feb. 10

• National Poll Worker 

Recruitment Day

• Cyber Access and 

Security Program 

(CAS)

• Moved office space

2020 EAC Accomplishments

U.S. Election Assistance Commission | www.eac.gov
• Mission critical program 

enhancement efforts

– Improving Clearinghouse function 

– Local Leadership Council 

• 2020 EAVS

• Lessons learned from 2020

• Pilot e-poll book program

• VVSG 2.0 next steps

• Grant Audits

U.S. Election Assistance Commission | www.eac.gov

2021 Anticipated Accomplishments
U.S. Election Assistance Commission | www.eac.gov

VVSG 2.0
U.S. Election Assistance Commission | www.eac.gov

VVSG Next Steps
VVSG 2.0 Timeline-NVLAP

U.S. Election Assistance Commission | www.eac.gov

• Technical Requirements & Guidance for 

accreditation of NVLAP

• Work is happening concurrently with other VVSG 

2.0 tasks, late 2021

• Determining competencies required by lab 

personnel, data schemas, pen testing, E2E

• Materials to help VSTLs prepare for accreditation
VVSG 2.0 Timeline-E2E Verifiable

Protocol Evaluation

U.S. Election Assistance Commission | www.eac.gov

• This work is happening concurrently with 

other updates mentioned here and is 

scheduled to be completed by Fall, 2021

• Challenge: Limited number of experts in the 

type of encryption required 

• Working with partners to create evaluation 

program
• The EAC is creating a draft lifecycle policy for 

all versions: past, present, and future that will 

establish the following:

– Increased cadence for the VVSG going forward

– Determine what will be allowed in terms of 

continued certification under older standards

– Configuration management for handling system 

certifications as we transition between standards

VVSG 2.0 Timeline-Lifecycle Policy

U.S. Election Assistance Commission | www.eac.gov
• Follows update of NVLAP for VVSG 2.0

• Will be an interim accreditation

• EAC will help ensure readiness of labs

VSTL Accreditation

U.S. Election Assistance Commission | www.eac.gov
U.S. Election Assistance Commission | www.eac.gov

11

• The EAC will create a program manual

• Requirements will be developed and published

• Testing and reporting

• Conducted by EAC accredited VSTLs

• Test documentation will be published on the EAC website

• The program will be voluntary

• Needs to be agile, accommodating frequent standard 

updates

E-Poll Book Evaluation Pilot
U.S. Election Assistance Commission | www.eac.gov

EAC Funding and Staffing
EAC 2021 Funding Increase

U.S. Election Assistance Commission | www.eac.gov

• Agency’s FY 2021 budget 

increased by $1.8 million. 

Specifically, S&E operating 

funds increased by $4.2 

million. 

• EAC relocation expenses 

expires September 30, 2021. 

Currently 90% obligated.
EAC Funding 2010-2022

U.S. Election Assistance Commission | www.eac.gov

When adjusted for inflation, the 2022 President’s Budget Request would 

bring the EAC to funding levels just above those of 2010.*

* 20.65% or a 1.8% average year over year.
U.S. Election Assistance Commission | www.eac.gov

HAVA and CARES Grants
In 2018 and 2020, for the first time since 2010, EAC 

received grant funds under the authority of Section 

101 to provide grants to states with an emphasis on 

election security.

2018: $380,000,000

2020: $425,000,000

U.S. Election Assistance Commission | www.eac.gov

Election Security Grants
Mid-year Election Security reports are currently under review, and percentages 

are subject to change due to corrections made during the review process.

Election Security Expenditures by Category

U.S. Election Assistance Commission | www.eac.gov

Cyber Security 

33.5%

Voting 

Equipment 

31.6%

Voter Registration 

System Security and 

Upgrades

10.6%

Other

16.3% Election Auditing 

0.6%

Communication

7.4%

SPENDING BY CATEGORY AS OF MARCH 31, 2021

PERCENT OF TOTAL SPENT
• As of December 31, 2020, states have 

expended 82% of the roughly $400 million 

provided by Congress.

– About 36% of states expended all their CARES 

funding, including federal interest earned and 

20% state match.

– $67,059,544 or 17% of CARES funds are 

expected to be returned to the EAC.

– As of June 2021, $25,842,842 of CARES federal 

funds and interest have been returned.

U.S. Election Assistance Commission | www.eac.gov

CARES Grant
States are continuing to reconcile expenditures 

through the end of FY21.

CARES Expenditures by Category

U.S. Election Assistance Commission | www.eac.gov

Voting Processes

33.5%

Subgrants

17.4%

Supplies

17.2%

Communications

17.2%

Staffing

11.3% Security and Training

1.7%

Other

1.7%

SPENDING BY CATEGORY AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2020

PERCENT OF TOTAL SPENT