Election Assistance Commission (EAC)

1. Election Assistance Commission, created by the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) to assist the states regarding HAVA compliance and to distribute HAVA funds to the states. The EAC is also charged with creating voting system guidelines and operating the federal government’s first voting system certification program. The EAC is also responsible for maintaining the National Voter Registration form, conducting research, and administering a national clearinghouse on elections that includes shared practices, information for voters, and other resources to improve elections.

Source: Election Terminology Glossary - Draft, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), https://pages.nist.gov/ElectionGlossary/

2. A federal commission that was established by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA). EAC is an independent, bipartisan commission charged with developing guidance to meet HAVA requirements, adopting voting system standards, and serving as a national clearinghouse of information on election administration. EAC also accredits testing laboratories and certifies voting systems.

Source: America’s Voting Machines at Risk America’s Voting Machines at Risk, Brennan Center for Justice, https://www.brennancenter.org/sites/default/files/2019-08/Report_Americas_Voting_Machines_At_Risk.pdf

3. An independent, bipartisan commission charged with developing guidance to meet Help America Vote Act (HAVA) requirements, adopting voluntary voting system guidelines, and serving as a national clearinghouse of information on election administration. EAC also accredits testing laboratories and certifies voting systems, as well as audits the use of HAVA funds.

Source: 2018 Risk Limiting Audit Pilot Project Report, Orange County Registrar of Voters, https://www.ocvote.com/election-library/docs/2018%20Risk%20Limiting%20Audit%20Pilot%20Project%20Report.pdf

4. HAVA established this commission with wide-ranging duties to help improve the administration of federal elections. The commission is to be involved with, among other things, providing voluntary guidance to states on implementing certain HAVA provisions, serving as a national clearinghouse of state experiences implementing such guidelines and in the operation of voting systems in general, conducting studies, and helping to develop optional testing and standards for election equipment.

Source: ELECTIONS: The Nation’s Evolving Election System as Reflected in the November 2004 General Election, U.S. Government Accountability Office, https://www.gao.gov/assets/160/157713.pdf