U.S. elections are highly decentralized by design. Core parts of the process, however, remain the same regardless of geography. This four-part series, hosted in partnership with the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, will explore key topics in election administration such as funding, voter registration list maintenance, post-election audits and voting technology in conversations with each of the agency’s four commissioners.
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Voting Technology, Certification and Standards
June 6
As voting technology gets more sophisticated, so do the standards against which they’re tested. The Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG) are a set of specifications and requirements designed to test basic functionality, accuracy, accessibility and security capabilities. Tune in for the final installment of NCSL’s four-part webinar series, How U.S. Elections Are Run, to learn more about the newest iteration of these standards, VVSG 2.0: What it is, why it’s important and what options legislators can consider for keeping their state’s voting technology as secure and accurate as possible with EAC Commissioner Donald Palmer.
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Ensuring Accuracy: Post-Election Audits
May 12
It’s always a good idea to double-check your work, and in the world of elections, audits do just that: ensuring accuracy and providing an added layer of assurance to election officials and the public alike that election results are verifiably correct. Tune in for the third installment of NCSL’s four-part webinar series, How U.S. Elections Are Run, to learn more about the different types of post-election tabulation audits that states use (traditional, tiered and risk-limiting) and the value of having such audit laws on the books with EAC Commissioner Christy McCormick.
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Voter Registration and Maintaining Voter Registration Lists
April 13
Managing voter registration lists is often one of the hardest parts of running an election. As voters move, die, age into the system, or experience other changes in eligibility, such as citizenship status or incarceration, keeping those lists up to date requires careful attention and accurate data sources. Tune in for the second installment of NCSL’s four-part webinar series, How U.S. Elections Are Run, to learn more about how states keep these lists accurate, and why regular list maintenance processes, along with providing opportunities for voters to update and maintain their registration in accordance with federal and state laws, are important with EAC Commissioner Benjamin Hovland.
Paying for Elections
March 28
Elections are resource-intensive, requiring workers, machines, ballots and more—all of which come at a cost. Tune in for the inaugural installment of NCSL’s four-part webinar series, How U.S. Elections Are Run, to learn more about how much elections cost, who foots the bill, how states might consider spending the $75 million recently appropriated by Congress, and the need for additional funding with EAC Commissioner Thomas Hicks.