--News Release--

EAC Releases Voluntary Voting System Guidelines for
Public Comment
Public Meeting on Guidelines to be Held in NYC on June 30

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) has released the proposed Voluntary Voting System Guidelines for public comment, and the document is available on the EAC website at www.eac.gov.

These proposed Guidelines update and augment the 2002 Voting System Standards, as required by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA), to address advancements in information and computer technologies. They were designed to meet the contemporary needs of the elections community. EAC proposes that the Guidelines become effective 24 months after final adoption, which is anticipated to take place in October 2005.

The Guidelines provide a set of specifications and requirements against which voting systems can be tested to determine if they provide all the basic functionality, accessibility and security capabilities required of voting systems. In addition, the Guidelines establish test evaluation criteria for national certification of voting systems.

The Guidelines consist of two volumes. Volume I, the Voting System Performance Guidelines, includes new requirements for accessibility, voting system software distribution, system setup validation and the use of wireless communications. This volume also includes a set of optional requirements for a Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail component for Direct Recording Electronic voting systems for states that have decided to require this feature for their voting systems. It also contains an updated glossary and a conformance clause.

Volume II, the Voting System National Certification Guidelines, provides an overview of the national certification testing process. It has been revised to reflect the new EAC process for national certification of voting systems, as mandated by HAVA.

These Guidelines are voluntary. States may adopt them entirely, in part or not at all. States may also choose to enact stricter performance requirements to certify their voting systems. Currently, at least 36 states require voting system vendors to certify systems at the national level.

The Guidelines were developed by the HAVA-designated Technical Guidelines Development Committee (TGDC), comprised of technical experts, disability experts and election officials, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

EAC will accept comments on the Guidelines for 90 days. Comments may be posted on the website, submitted via email to votingsystemguidelines@eac.gov or mailed to: Voting System Guidelines Comments, U.S. Election Assistance Commission, 1225 New York Avenue, N.W., Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20005. The Guidelines are also available in hard copy and CD-ROM formats. To request a copy call EAC at 1-866-747-1471.

EAC will hold a public meeting and hearing regarding the Guidelines on June 30 in New York City. For more details, visit the EAC website at www.eac.gov.

At the conclusion of the public comment period and after the consideration of comments received, EAC commissioners will vote to adopt the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines.

EAC is an independent bipartisan commission created by HAVA. It is charged with administering payments to states and developing guidance to meet HAVA requirements, implementing election administration improvements, adopting voluntary voting system guidelines and serving as a national clearinghouse and resource of information regarding election administration.

There are three EAC commissioners -- Gracia Hillman, chair; Paul DeGregorio, vice chairman; and Ray Martinez III. One vacancy currently exists.