U.S. Election Assistance Commission

WASHINGTON- Voter registration groups can play an important role in making sure the nation is prepared for Election Day by running organized and detail-oriented registration drives, said U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) Chair Rosemary Rodriguez.

“We need to be prepared for big increases in voter registration,” said Rodriguez. “Registration groups and election officials must work together to make sure all new voters are registered accurately and in time to participate on Election Day.”

“Voter registration groups can help by submitting registration forms as frequently as possible to provide election officials ample time to process registrations,” said Rodriguez.

To avoid a bottleneck in the registration process, registration groups should submit their forms daily, and let officials know if a big drive is underway. Likewise, election officials should reach out to voter registration groups and coordinate efforts, such as arranging convenient times to deliver completed forms. 

“Registration groups should also train their staff to check for errors on the registration form, and verify that all information they gather is complete and legible,” said Rodriguez.

“If critical information is missing from the form, or parts of it are difficult to read, it may be rejected by the election office. That is why it is crucial that election officials educate and inform voter registration groups about their registration requirements.”

Third party registration groups typically include nonprofit civic organizations, unions, advocacy groups, student organizations and political campaigns. In addition to registering to vote through a third party group, voters may also register by downloading the National Mail Voter Registration Form at www.eac.gov, or by picking up a registration form from their local election office, the Department of Motor Vehicles, public assistance agencies, or selected public schools and libraries.

The EAC is an independent commission created by the Help America Vote Act.  The EAC serves as a national clearinghouse and resource of information regarding election administration.  It is charged with administering payments to states and developing guidance to meet HAVA requirements, adopting voluntary voting system guidelines, and accrediting voting system test laboratories and certifying voting equipment.  It is also charged with developing and maintaining a national mail voter registration form. The three EAC commissioners are Rosemary Rodriguez, chair; Donetta Davidson, vice chair; and Gracia Hillman. There is one vacancy on the commission.