[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 165 (Monday, August 30, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 48409]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-18729]


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ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION


Sunshine Act Meetings

AGENCY: U.S. Election Assistance Commission.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting agenda.

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SUMMARY: U.S. Election Assistance Commission Meeting on Moving VVSG 2.0 
Forward.

DATES: Wednesday, September 8th, 2021, 1:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Eastern.

ADDRESSES: 
    Virtual via Zoom:
    The official meeting is open to the public and will be livestreamed 
on the U.S. Election Assistance Commission YouTube Channel:
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpN6i0g2rlF4ITWhwvBwwZw.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kristen Muthig, Telephone: (202) 897-
9285, Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Purpose: In accordance with the Government in the Sunshine Act 
(Sunshine Act), Public Law 94-409, as amended (5 U.S.C. 552b), the U.S. 
Election Assistance Commission (EAC) will conduct an official meeting 
discuss various aspects of implementing the newly adopted Voluntary 
Voting System Guidelines (VVSG) version 2.0 as well as the VVSG 
Lifecycle Policy.
    Agenda: The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) will meet 
with panels consisting of voting system manufacturers, voting system 
test labs (VSTLs), and representatives from the election administration 
community to discuss various aspects of the final stages of VVSG 2.0 
implementation. This includes the state of developing voting system 
equipment for VVSG 2.0 compliance, preparation for testing against the 
new requirements, and the need for VVSG 2.0 compliant systems.
    The EAC Commissioners will be requesting feedback from the panels 
on these topics. The EAC Testing and Certification Director will 
provide a brief update on the status of various aspects from the agency 
perspective.
    Commissioners will also hear from members of the public who wish to 
offer verbal testimony on the VVSG 2.0 implementation. Public testimony 
during the hearing will be limited to five minutes maximum per person. 
If you would like to participate in public testimony, please contact 
Jon Panek ([email protected]) with your full name, email address, and 
phone number no later than 5 p.m. Eastern Time on September 3, 2021.
    The full agenda will be posted in advance on the EAC website: 
https://www.eac.gov.
    Background: On February 10th, 2021 the EAC Commissioners 
unanimously voted to adopt VVSG 2.0. This vote represents the official 
approval of years of work by EAC staff in conjunction with the National 
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the EAC's advisory 
boards, VVSG working groups, and input from the public on the content 
in the latest iteration of the VVSG.
    The vote to adopt the new requirements does not mean there are new 
voting systems ready to be certified to the VVSG 2.0. It is the 
beginning of the final phase of implementing the new requirements in 
preparation for testing and certifying the next generation of voting 
system equipment. This final phase of VVSG 2.0 implementation involves 
a significant amount of work.
    Voting system manufacturers must design new equipment for 
compliance with the VVSG 2.0. This process can take a significant 
amount of time and research as the manufacturers work through the new 
requirements to design their equipment.
    The NIST NVLAP handbook 150-22, which is utilized as a guideline 
for accrediting VSTLs, must be updated to include the VVSG 2.0 into its 
scope. Following that, the VSTLs need to be assessed and accredited by 
both NVLAP and the EAC once they have completed their preparations for 
testing to the new requirements. Once a VSTL is successfully 
accredited, voting system manufacturers may apply with the EAC to have 
their equipment tested against VVSG 2.0.
    The EAC is currently drafting a VVSG Lifecycle Policy. The intent 
of this policy is to help facilitate migration to the new VVSG 2.0 
standard by providing guidance on deprecation of the obsolete 
standards, establishing a periodic review and update timeline for new 
standards going forward, and versioning of future standards.
    Status: This meeting will be open to the public.

Nichelle Williams,
Director of Research, U.S. Election Assistance Commission.
[FR Doc. 2021-18729 Filed 8-26-21; 11:15 am]
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