TGDC Meeting, July 2011

Voluntary Voting System Guidelines Roadmap

Nelson Hastings, Ph.D.

Technical Project Leader for Voting Standards, ITL

http://vote.nist.gov

*

TGDC Meeting, July 2011

Page *

Background
        - Provide an update on voluntary voting system guidelines (VVSG) development and related research
        - Activities and timelines presented are dependent on having a quorum of EAC Commissioners and agencies receiving the current level of funding 

TGDC Meeting, July 2011

Page *

2011 Goals
        - Complete draft of Common Data Format standard to support voting systems
        - Develop initial epollbook and ballot on demand voting system guidelines
        - Develop standard test set of optical scan marks
        - Finalize VVSG 1.1 for EAC approval

TGDC Meeting, July 2011

Page *

VVSG 1.1 Status
        - Completed baseline version addressing requests from initial public review 
        - NIST now incorporating EAC requests
        - EAC will incorporate request for interpretations (RFIs) 
        - EAC has clarified the approach for the reliability requirements and accuracy test method
        - EAC has requested additional VVSG 2.0 requirements be added to baseline VVSG 1.1
        - Access control
        - Event logging

TGDC Meeting, July 2011

Page *

Next Steps - VVSG 1.1 Milestones
        - September 2011: VVSG 1.1 version complete and transmitted to EAC
        - October 2011: EAC 30 day public comment period
        - November 2011: Final version complete, including responses to public comments
        - December 2011: EAC vote to adopt

TGDC Meeting, July 2011

Page *

VVSG 1.1 Status
        - VVSG 1.1 test suite needs to be expanded to include additional VVSG 2.0 requirements
        - Test suite validation and integration into certification program delayed due to expanded scope of VVSG 1.1 and updated adoption date (December 2011) 
        - EAC and NIST met with both accredited voting system test laboratories to discuss ways to integrate test suite into the certification program

TGDC Meeting, July 2011

Page *

FY12 Goals
        - Complete draft Common Data Format standard
        - Finalize draft VVSG 2.0 for public comment
        - Resolve public comments on draft VVSG 2.0
        - Finalize VVSG 2.0 for EAC approval 

FY13 Goals

Won’t CDF be approved this FY?

TGDC Meeting, July 2011

Page *

VVSG 2.0 Status
        - Baseline work to begin after final version of VVSG 1.1 delivered to EAC
        - Baseline to include corrections to errata developed since release, resolutions to simple public comments, and lessons learned from test method and VVSG 1.1 development
        - Six or seven months to complete baseline

TGDC Meeting, July 2011

Page *

VVSG 2.0 Work Items
        - Alternatives to software independence
        - Auditability working group delivered report to EAC
        - EAC developing policy guidance for the TGDC based on the “Report of the Auditability Working Group”
        - Common Data Format
        - Common Data Format standard to support UOCAVA blank ballot delivery complete
        - IEEE P.1622 deciding on next use case(s) for development such as event logging, epollbook, and election management systems

TGDC Meeting, July 2011

Page *

VVSG 2.0 Status
        - Accessibility and usability research
        - Complete validation of usability benchmarks and other performance based test methods (accessibility, poll worker usability)
        - Investigating issues identified in “VVSG 2.0 and Beyond: Issues and Gaps in the Usability and Accessibility Requirements” from December 2010 
        - Open ended vulnerability testing (OEVT)
        - NIST research applying software assurance case methodology to OEVT to be completed by end of 2011

TGDC Meeting, July 2011

Page *

VVSG 2.0 Milestones
        - June 2012: Baseline version complete
        - December 2013: Public comment version complete
        - January – March 2014: 90-day public comment period
        - April – August 2014: EAC policy decisions and edits complete
        - September – November 2014: 90-day public comment period
        - December 2014 – February 2015: EAC policy decisions and edits complete
        - March 2015: EAC vote to adopt

TGDC Meeting, July 2011

Page *

Milestone Assumptions
        - EAC Commissioner quorum allows EAC action
        - Agencies continue to receive current level of funding
        - Policy decisions settled and guidance provided on key issues (such as software independence, open ended vulnerability testing, and Common Data Format) by June 2012
        - Research in key areas (such as usability, accessibility, epollbooks, and ballot on demand) is complete or nearly complete by June 2012

TGDC Meeting, July 2011

Discussion/Questions

Page *