EAC’s Citizen’s Report: 

The FY 2009 Summary of Performance and 

Financial Results 

 Assisting the effective administration of Federal elections 
Purpose of the Report

This FY 2009 Citizens’ Report represents the U.S. Election Assistance Commission’s 

(EAC’s) effort to provide a summary of key agency goals, how appropriated funds are 

spent, and actions planned to build on successes and address challenges. 

Background

In response to issues raised in the 2000 Presidential election, Congress passed the Help 

America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002. The law recognized the need for States to invest in 

their election infrastructure and set out a comprehensive program of funding, guidance, 

and ongoing research. To foster those programs and to promote and enhance voting for 

United States citizens, HAVA established the EAC. 

EAC is charged with, among other activities: 

 serving as a clearinghouse of information on the administration of Federal 

elections for election officials and voters, 

 certifying voting equipment to Federal standards, 

 providing voluntary best practices for computerized statewide voter registration 

list requirements and registration by mail guidance to the states, and 

 distributing HAVA funds to states for Federal election administration 

improvements. 

The Federal election improvements include support of poll worker training, education of 

the public on voting rights such as provisional voting, and helping provide voters with 

polling place access information such as when and where to vote. 

Additionally, EAC awards funds for the College Poll Worker and Mock Election grant 

programs. The College Poll Worker program seeks to attract a new generation of poll 

workers, critical to the administration of elections. The College Poll Workers are trained 

on setting up polling places, greeting voters, checking voter names on voting registers, 

checking voter identification where required, staffing information booths, demonstrating 

use of the machines to voters, answering voter questions, serving as election observers, 

assisting voters with disabilities, securing voting machines at the end of election day, 

counting votes, and transmitting election results. 

The Mock Election grants promote voter participation in national elections through voter 

education activities for high school students and their parents. The students are provided 

with a “behind-the-scenes” look at the elections process, and learn about setting up 

polling places, registering to vote, and casting informed ballots. The grants help build 

community involvement in and awareness of the election process, and encourage future 

civic engagement and participation by the young people involved in the program. 

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Strategic Goals 

In March 2009, EAC adopted it first Strategic Plan for 2009 through 2014, allowing the 

agency to begin the process of reporting on formal performance metrics. EAC has five 

strategic goals: 

Communicate -- Communicate timely and accurate information on the 

effective administration of elections for Federal office and on the 

operations and services offered by EAC. 

Fund and Oversee -- Deliver and manage Federal funds effectively. 

Study, Guide and Assist -- Identify and develop information on areas of 

pressing concern regarding the administration of elections for Federal 

office, issue recommended improvements, guidance, translations, and best 

practices as required by HAVA, and carry out responsibilities under the 

National Voter Registration Act. 

Test and Certify -- Build public confidence in elections by testing and 

certifying voting systems to improve system security, operation, and 

accessibility. 

Manage -- Achieve organizational and management excellence. 

Performance Data and Key Performance Measures

The agency has made tremendous progress in the program areas. During FY 2009, EAC: 

 Made strides in speeding up certification of voting systems -- between February 

and August, three voting systems were certified; 

 Instituted a Testing and Certification Voting System Reports Clearinghouse on 

its website to improve communications with stakeholders; 

 Issued a report on Voter Registration, Quick Start Management guides on 

administering Federal elections, and best practices for voter information web 

sites; 

 Held roundtable discussions on Elections, Election Office Management and 

Accessibility; 

 Awarded 13 Poll Worker grants to colleges, universities and nonprofit 

organizations totaling $750,000; and 

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 Awarded seven Mock Election grants to State and local election officials, and 

regional and nonprofit organizations totaling $300,000 to educate secondary 

school students and their parents about the electoral process through mock 

Federal elections. 

EAC FY 2009 Performance Summary 

Program Performance Indicator 

Type of 

Indicator Planned Actual 

Strategic Goal 1: Communicate 

 Issue Clearinghouse policy Output Final 

In Final 

Draft 

 

Issue Policies/Procedures to process requests 

from outside EAC Output Final 

In Final 

Draft 

Strategic Goal 2: Fund and Oversee 

 Publish Grants Program Handbook Output Final 

Completed 

Sept. 2009 

 Issue report on expenditure of HAVA funds Output Final 

Completed 

Feb. 2010 

Strategic Goal 3: Study, Guide, Assist 

 

Complete Voter's Guide to Federal Elections 

in Voting Rights Act minority languages Output Final 

Completed 

Oct. 2008 

 

Establish baseline on Election Day Survey 

responses accuracy and completeness Output 

Baseline 

% 

100% 

response 

rate 

Strategic Goal 4: Test and Certify 

 

Test 100 percent of systems qualifying for 

testing each year Output 100% 60% 

 

Respond to requests for interpretations of 

voting system standards within 45 days Output 45 days 

52.4 days 

(40% on 

target) 

Strategic Goal 5: Manage 

 

Unqualified financial statement audit opinion 

by FY 2010 Outcome No Yes 

Agency Assessment of Performance

Since the Strategic Plan was adopted mid-year in FY 2009, EAC is refining metrics, and 

developing systems to collect performance data and the internal controls needed to ensure 

that it is adequately supported. The performance indicator Planned versus Actual data 

above represent baseline, or starting point, information. Since the Strategic Plan and 

performance measures were adopted mid-year in FY 2009, historical data is not 

presented. At this stage of development of agency performance measurement, we are 

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reporting on outputs which establish the infrastructure required to begin the process of 

establishing and improving program outcomes. EAC is in the process of finalizing 

remaining program and administrative policies and procedures and establishing an 

agency-wide internal control program in order to verify the reliability and completeness 

of performance data. 

Key Management Challenges and Assurances

EAC continues to improve it programs and operations, strengthen internal controls, 

financial management, and information technology across the agency. Some work 

remains to be done, such as a program of continuous internal control assessment and 

improvement as required by the Federal Managers’ Financial Integrity Act (FMFIA). 

The data provided in the Agency Financial Report for FY 2009 containing audited 

financial statements is reliable and complete without any current material weaknesses. 

At the current time, the Commission provides a qualified statement of assurance that the 

internal control and financial management systems meet the objectives of the FMFIA. 

This is the second year in its six year operational existence that EAC prepared financial 

statements and submitted them for audit. Prior to establishment of an Office of the Chief 

Financial Officer (OCFO) in the Spring of 2009, EAC did not have the systems, controls, 

processes, and staff expertise necessary to comply with the Office of Management and 

Budget guidance for financial and performance reporting and received a disclaimer 

opinion on the FY 2008 financial statement audit. 

EAC made improvements in all Agency management challenges identified by the Office 

of the Inspector General. Financial internal control has substantially improved through 

the remediation of audit recommendations made by the independent auditor in the annual 

financial statement audit. EAC also considers and responds to recommendations from 

audits and reviews conducted by the Government Accountability Office. 

EAC’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducts audits and reviews of the agency’s 

operations. The Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) works closely with EAC 

management and the OIG to complete actions necessary to respond to audit findings. 

OCFO tracks the completion of the audit recommendations in a Monthly Audit 

Recommendation Tracking Report. The report is carefully reviewed by EAC and is 

submitted each month to Congressional Oversight staff. Of 82 recommendations, EAC 

closed 50, consolidated 13 as being repetitive, and has 19 open findings to resolve—a 77 

percent improvement during FY 2009. 

Financial Results 

The Statement of Budgetary Resources (SBR) compares budgetary resources with the 

status of those resources. As of September 30, 2009, budgetary resources were 

$128,956,539 and net outlays were $95,475,404. 

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EAC committed resources and time to move from a disclaimer opinion on our financial 

statements for FY 2008 to an unqualified (clean) opinion in the second half of FY 2009. 

The following table provides historical information on funds appropriated by Congress 

through FY 2009: 

 

Enacted Appropriations by Fiscal Year 

(Dollars in thousands) 

 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Total 

EAC 

EAC Salaries & Expenses 

 Operations $2,000 $1,674 1 $11,110 $10,986 $11,313 $12,330 $12,909 $62,323 

 Mock Election Grants 200 300 500 

 Poll Worker Grants 300 750 750 1,800 

 Transfer to NIST 2,778 2,772 4,950 3,250 4,000 17,750 

Election Reform Programs 

 

 Requirements Payments 830,000 

 

2 1,489,460 

 

115,000 100,000 2,534,460 

 Poll Worker Grants 1,500 746 2,246 

 Mock Election Org. 199 199 

 Help America Vote Act 

 Foundation 1,500 

 

746 

 

 2,246 

 Voting Tech. Research 5,000 5,000 

 Testing &Verification 1,000 1,000 

Election Data Collection 10,000 10,000 

TOTAL EAC 835,000 1,492,824 13,888 14,058 16,263 141,530 123,959 2,637,524 

GSA 3 

Section 101& 102 Grants 649,500 649,500 

Administrative Expenses 500 500 

TOTAL GSA 650,000 650,000 

TOTAL EAC & GSA 3,287,524 

1/ Includes $481,092 transferred from the Federal Election Commission 

2/ Carried forward to FY 2005 

3/ The General Services Administration distributed funds on EAC’s behalf prior to establishment of EAC 

Since the passage of HAVA, Congress appropriated more than $3 billion to support 

States in improving the administration of Federal elections, primarily by upgrading 

systems for casting votes and for registering voters in statewide voter registration 

systems. States have also used HAVA funds to: 

1) implement provisional voting; 

2) train election officials, poll workers, and voters; 

3) improve polling place accessibility; 

4) provide voter information at the polling places; 

5) provide language assistance for citizens who are not proficient in English; 

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6) use toll free telephone lines; and 

7) establish identification requirements for first-time voters who register to vote by mail. 

The following table provides a general overview of activities supported through HAVA 

funding as of September 30, 2009: 

State-Reported HAVA Spending as of September 30, 2009 

Description Amount Percent 

Voting Systems $1,604,367,413 71.0

Voter Registration Systems 354,992,541 15.7

Improving to the Administration of Federal Elections* 155,299,936 6.9

Educating Voters, Training Officials and Poll Workers, and 

Recruiting Poll workers 77,140,039 

 3.4

Improving Polling Places 29,765,726 1.3

Provisional Voting 3,664,550 0.16

Uncategorized 34,206,688 1.5 

Total 2,259,436,893 

*Includes costs associated with preparing state plans, administering the HAVA program, 

identification for first-time voters, posting voting information at polls, and language assistance. 

Also, includes additional costs of training, voting equipment, and voter registration systems that 

was reported collectively. 

Internet Links 

FY 2009 Agency Financial Report: http://www.eac.gov/about/docs/election-assistancecommission_-afr_-fy09.pdf/attachment_download/file

FY 2011 Congressional Budget Justification and FY 2009 Annual Financial Report: 

http://www.eac.gov/about/docs/part-1_budget-justification.pdf/attachment_download/file

Agency website: www.eac.gov

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