U.S. Election Assistance Commission

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) Board of Advisors recently elected three new officers at its meeting held in Washington, D.C. earlier this month.

The new officers are Jim Dickson of Washington, D.C., chair; Keith Cunningham of Ohio, vice chair; and Terri Hegarty of Michigan, secretary.

“The Board of Advisors serves a pivotal role in helping the EAC meet the goals of the Help America Vote Act,” said EAC Vice Chair Gracia Hillman, who is the Board of Advisors’ designated federal officer. “In their leadership roles, these new officers will provide an array of expertise and diverse perspectives as we work to make sure that every vote cast is counted accurately and fairly. I thank them for agreeing to serve their country and the nation’s voters in these new roles.”

Mr. Dickson is the vice president for Organizing and Civic Engagement at the American Association of People with Disabilities. Mr. Cunningham is the director of the Allen County, Ohio, Board of Elections. Ms. Hegarty is the former city clerk of Grand Rapids, Michigan.  

At the June 2-4 meeting, the Board also reviewed and made recommendations on proposed changes to the 2005 Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG) and the Evaluation Report of the EAC Election Data Collection Pilot Program. The Board provides EAC input and guidance in accordance with the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). For more information about the June meeting, visit http://www.eac.gov/about/committees/advisors/board-of-advisors-meeting-june-2-4-2009.

The Board is comprised of 37 members from national organizations representing elected officials and government agencies, as well as science and technology-related professionals and members representing voter interests. Members serve two-year terms. Visit http://www.eac.gov/about/committees/advisors for more information about the Board.

EAC is an independent commission created by the Help America Vote Act of 2002. 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 Gineen Bresso Beach, chair; Gracia Hillman, vice chair; and Donetta Davidson. There is one vacancy on the Commission.