[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 25 (Wednesday, February 7, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 5682]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-533]


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ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION


Information Collection Activity; Study of Voter Hotlines Operated 
by Election Offices

AGENCY: U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC).

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The EAC, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork 
and respondent burden in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take 
this opportunity to comment on a proposed information collection. 
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed information collection, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways 
to minimize the burden of the information collection on respondents. 
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or 
included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before April 6, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments and recommendations on the proposed 
information collection in writing to the U.S. Election Assistance 
Commission, 1225 New York Avenue, NW., Suite 1100, Washington, DC 
20005, ATTN: Ms. Laiza N. Otero (or via the Internet at 
[email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on this 
proposed information collection or to obtain a copy of the survey 
instrument, please, write to the above address or call Ms. Laiza N. 
Otero at (202) 566-3100. You may also view the proposed collection 
instrument by visiting our Web site at www.eac.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Study of Voter Hotlines Operated by Election Offices.
    OMB Number: Pending.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Needs and Uses: Section 241(b)(9) of the Help America Vote Act 
(HAVA) requires the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to 
periodically study election administration issues, including methods of 
educating voters about the process of registering to vote and voting, 
the operation of voting mechanisms, the location of polling places, and 
all other aspects of participating in elections. Furthermore, Section 
245(a)(2)(C) of HAVA indicates that the EAC may investigate the impact 
new communications or Internet technology systems used in the electoral 
process could have on voter participation rates, voter education, and 
public accessibility. In 2005, the EAC undertook a research study of 
voter hotline data available online to determine trends. At the time a 
voter hotline was defined as a toll-free line that connects voters with 
elections offices, which then disseminate information and educate 
voters. The EAC found several hotlines in operation during the 2004 
Presidential election, and their sponsorship and capabilities varied to 
a great degree. To build on and augment these research findings, the 
EAC wishes to conduct a study to determine the current state of voter 
information hotlines that are operated by Federal, State, and local 
election offices. The definition of voter hotline has been broadened to 
include data from government agencies that employ non-toll free 
interactive phone systems to provide services to voters and pollworkers 
and to receive information from callers.
    Affected Public: Federal, State, and local election offices.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 6,500.
    Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Burden per Response: 1 hour.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 6,500 hours.
    Information will be collected through a survey of existing hotline 
services operated by Federal, State, and local government agencies and 
election offices during the 2006 primary and general elections. The 
data collected will include information on voter hotlines operated by 
election offices and their features, including, but not limited to:
    1. Basic Information. Hotline hours of operation, type of 
information available through the hotline, automated or non-automated 
service, links to other sources of voting information.
    2. Costs. Breakdown of cost based on volume, cost of database 
maintenance per record, and all personnel and administrative costs of 
the service.
    3. Features. Important factors include, but are not limited to: (1) 
Languages used, (2) disability-compliant features, (3) touch tone and 
voice services, (4) voice response options, and (5) ability for 
interactivity with additional databases (for example interactivity with 
a voter registration database).
    4. Network Capacity. Number of calls capable of being routed per 
hour and the number of incoming calls that can be received.
    5. Call Tracking. How calls are logged or tracked, how they are 
routed, and the types or categories of calls received.
    6. Hotline personnel. Number of hotline operators and methods by 
which hotline operators are trained, the frequency of their training 
and how they are monitored for accuracy, currency, security, and other 
critical performance variables.
    7. Methods by which the network operator maintains the accuracy and 
currency of the data. Important factors include, but are not limited to 
how reqularly updates are made and quality-control procedures.
    8. Maintenance agreements with service providers. Percentage of 
hotlines that outsource all or part of the Hotline, and experiences 
working with contractors?
    9. Timelines for database creation, contractor integration, and 
final testing before launch.
    10. Security measures to ensure that data in the call-routing 
network is confidential.
    11. Other information such as: Who the intended audience is; 
demographic, political and socioeconomic information of the community 
served; cost of publicizing the service and effectiveness of various 
publicity methods; and lessons learned.

 A report on the key findings of the study, along with recommendations 
for the development and implementation of voter hotlines, will be made 
available to election officials and the public at the conclusion of 
this effort. The report will include a state-by-state compendium of the 
existing voter hotlines and their features. The report will be made 
available on the EAC Web site at http://www.eac.gov.

Thomas R. Wilkey,
Executive Director, U.S. Election Assistance Commission.
[FR Doc. 07-533 Filed 2-6-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-KF-M