[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 40 (Thursday, February 28, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6775-6776]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-03453]


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ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION


Proposed Voluntary Voting System Guidelines 2.0 Principles and 
Guidelines

AGENCY: United States Election Assistance Commission.

ACTION: Notice of proposed Voluntary Voting System Guidelines 2.0 
Principles and Guidelines request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Help America Vote Act of 2002, the U.S. 
Election Assistance Commission (EAC) is publishing the Voluntary Voting 
System Guidelines 2.0 Principles and Guidelines (VVSG2.0) for public 
comment. The VVSG 2.0 Principles and Guidelines provide high level 
principles and guidelines to which voting systems can be tested to 
determine if they provide basic functionality, accessibility, and 
security capabilities.

[[Page 6776]]


DATES: Comments must be received on or before 4:00 p.m. EST on May 29, 
2019.
    Submission of Comments: The public may submit comments through one 
of the two following methods provided by the EAC: (1) By mail to 
Voluntary Voting System Guidelines 2.0. Principles and Guidelines 
Comments, U.S. Election Assistance Commission, 1335 East-West Highway, 
Suite 4300, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, and (2) via email at 
[email protected]. Members of the public are encouraged to 
submit comments electronically to ensure timely receipt and 
consideration.
    In order to allow efficient and effective review of comments the 
EAC requests that:
    (1) Comments refer to the specific section that is the subject of 
the comment.
    (2) General comments regarding the entire document or comments that 
refer to more than one section be made as specifically as possible so 
that EAC can clearly understand to which portion(s) of the documents 
the comment refers.
    (3) To the extent that a comment suggests a change in the wording 
of a Principal or Guideline or section of the guidelines, please 
provide proposed language for the suggested change.
    To Obtain a Copy of the VVSG Volume Version 2.0 Principles and 
Guidelines: A complete copy of the draft VVSG 2.0 Principles and 
Guidelines is available from the EAC in electronic format. An 
electronic copy can be downloaded in PDF format on the EAC's website, 
http://www.eac.gov. In order to obtain a paper copy of the TGDC draft 
recommendations please mail a written request to Voluntary Voting 
System Guidelines 2.0 Principles and Guidelines Comments, U.S. Election 
Assistance Commission, 1335 East-West Highway, Suite 4300, Silver 
Spring, Maryland 20910.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ryan Macias, Phone (301) 563-3931, 
email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As required by Section 222(d) of HAVA the 
EAC is placing the proposed VVSG 2.0 Principles and Guidelines as 
submitted by the Technical Guidelines Development Committee (TGDC) out 
for a 90 public comment period. The EAC is asking for comments 
regarding all sections of the Principles and Guidelines including the 
proposed Structure of the VVSG 2.0. The Principles and Guidelines will 
subsequently be accompanied by Requirements, which will be distributed 
to the TGDC, the Standards Board, the Board of Advisors and submitted 
for public comment and consideration by the Commission.
    The EAC made the decision to undertake the drafting of VVSG 2.0 
Principles and Guidelines as a result of feedback received over several 
years from a variety of stakeholders including, but not limited to 
State and local election officials, voting system manufacturers and 
usability, accessibility and security interest groups.
    The EAC Technical Guidelines Development Committee (TGDC) proposed 
a different structure for developing the VVSG 2.0 than in previous 
years. This structure differs significantly from previous versions of 
the VVSG because it is a high level principles and guidelines document. 
The Principles are high-level system design goals. The Guidelines are a 
broad description of the functions that make up a voting system. This 
new structure has significantly decreased the size and complexity of 
the VVSG from previous versions.
    Unlike previous versions of the VVSG, this proposed version 
recommends that the Requirements for testing a voting system be 
separate and apart from the Principles and Guidelines. As proposed, the 
VVSG 2.0 Principles and Guidelines will be accompanied by a separate 
document that details the Requirements for how systems can meet the new 
Principles and Guidelines in order to obtain certification. The 
Requirements will subsequently be accompanied by Test Assertions for 
how the accredited test laboratories will validate that the system 
complies with the Requirements and the Principles and Guidelines.
    The Requirements will be adjunct to the VVSG Principles and 
Guidelines itself and will be subject to public review and comment, 
including distribution to the EAC's TGDC, Standards Board and Board of 
Advisors for comment prior to consideration and implementation by the 
Commission.
    The TGDC unanimously approved to recommend VVSG 2.0 Principles and 
Guidelines on September 12, 2017, and sent the Principles and 
Guidelines to the EAC Executive Director via the Director of the 
National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST), in the capacity of 
the Chair of the TGDC. The Commission will accept comments on the 
proposed structure of the VVSG 2.0 Principles and Guidelines as well as 
on the content of the Principles and Guidelines.
    The Voluntary Voting System Guidelines version 2.0 Principles and 
Guidelines (VVSG 2.0), is the fifth iteration of national level voting 
system standards. The Federal Election Commission published the first 
two sets of federal standards in 1990 and 2002. The EAC then adopted 
Version 1.0 of the VVSG on December 13, 2005. In an effort to update 
and improve version 1.0 of the VVSG, on March 31, 2015, the EAC 
commissioners unanimously approved VVSG 1.1.

Brenda J. Soder,
Director of Communications and Public Affairs, U.S. Election Assistance 
Commission.
[FR Doc. 2019-03453 Filed 2-27-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6820-KF-P