HAVA Election Security Grants

 

As authorized under Section 101 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (Public 107-252) and provided in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2023, the funds are to be used to improve the administration of elections for Federal office, including to enhance election technology and make election security improvements.

Active 90.404 U.S. Election Assistance Commission A - Formula Grants Fiscal Year 2022 State activities in 2022 continued to be impacted by threats to election security and the increasing cost of administering elections. Several states reported activities to mitigate cyber and physical security threats, including making improvements to election systems infrastructure, securing virtual and physical access to systems and equipment, cybersecurity monitoring and testing, physical surveillance for election facilities and drop boxes, and security training and exercises for election officials. State spending on cyber and physical security and for maintaining and securing voter registration systems has increased 23% and 29% respectively since 2021. As of September 30, 2022, states have reported spending $498,265,605 or 56% of the Election Security funds and interest earned. The EAC’s review of state progress reports identified various themes across state activities to enhance election security and improve the administration of federal elections. Security training and exercises were common activities across states, irrespective of their relative size or population density. 22 states, including Alaska, Maine, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Utah and Wisconsin, used funds for election security training, including workshops and tabletop exercises in partnership with CISA as well as and state and national conferences for election officials. These trainings covered a variety of topics such as cyber hygiene, risk mitigation, information security, system monitoring, cybersecurity awareness, and incident preparedness. States continue to conduct regular security assessments of their election systems and enhance their cybersecurity infrastructure. Eighteen states reported using funds to make infrastructural improvements at both the state and the local level, including increased physical security measures, upgrades and modernization of system hardware and software, and services for risk remediation and monitoring of election systems and networks. Additionally, 11 states have used funding for dedicated security staffing, including cybersecurity and election security specialists. Several states such as Idaho, Illinois, Minnesota, and Virginia have implemented cyber navigator programs through which they employ election technology specialists to provide practical cybersecurity knowledge, training, and support services for local election officials. In 2022, over 57% of states spent funds on maintaining, securing, and upgrading their statewide voter registration systems. Voter registration activities included improvements to online voter registration processes and security, modernization and replacement of system components, implementation of multi-factor authentication, and improvements to system networks to allow local election jurisdictions to connect to the statewide voter registration system. States are continuing to upgrade and replace aging voting equipment to increase election security and improve voting processes and voter experience. Forty-three percent of states reported purchasing equipment such as new ballot tabulators, epollbooks, ballot printers, voting machines, absentee and mail-in ballot counters, and accessible ballot marking devices. The rise in threats to election security and growing distrust in the election process has resulted in a growing focus on voting and election transparency. More than a dozen states prioritized activities that increase election transparency including ballot tracking and curing resources for voters, public databases of historical election results, livestreamed ballot counts, and voter education campaigns to combat mis- and disinformation. Help America Vote Act, P.L. 107-252, Title I, Section 101, Public Law -107-252, 42 U.S.C. 15301-15303, Statute 116,1668-1673 Assistance is to be used to improve the administration of elections for federal office, including enhancing election technology and making election security improvements. States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, Northern Mariana and American Samoa. Only state recipients as defined by HAVA and appropriations are eligible for this formula funding. Northern Mariana was added as an eligible entity in 2020 going forward. Preapplication coordination is not applicable. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. States will submit a request letter and certification pre-award and a program narrative and budget post-award. The Election Assistance Commission will provide states with the allocation amount from the HAVA formula. State will request the amount, certify to meet the requirements and the EAC will issue a Notice of Grant Award with special conditions and make the disbursement via EFT. Post disbursement, the EAC will review program narratives and budgets for improving security of election systems. Upon approval, the special conditions will be removed as applicable. Not applicable. Not applicable. Not applicable. Not applicable. Not applicable. States may use the funds, consistent with the requirements of the Help America Vote Act, to replace voting equipment that only records a voter's intent electronically with equipment that utilizes a voter-verified paper record; implement a post-election audit system that provides a high-level of confidence in the accuracy of the final vote tally; upgrade election-related computer systems to address cyber vulnerabilities; facilitate cyber security training; implement election systems cybersecurity best practices; and fund other activities that will improve the security of elections for Federal office. Not applicable. HAVA Title IX, Section 902, authorizes EAC to audit or examine books, documents, papers and records of any recipient that are deemed pertinent to the grant; stipulates that the provision applies to all recipients under the Act; requires that all funds provided under the Act are subject to mandatory audit by the Comptroller General at least once during the lifetime of the program, with the same access to records as EAC; and requires that, if the Comptroller General determines that an excess payment has been made or the recipient is not in compliance, the recipient must pay the office that made the payment an amount that reflects the excess payment or the proportion representing noncompliance. HAVA Title IX, Section 902, requires recipients under the Act to keep records consistent with sound accounting principles to facilitate an effective audit and stipulates that the provision applies to all recipients of payments under the Act. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching is mandatory. 20%. The 2018 award had a 5 percent matching requirement. The 2020 award had a 20 percent matching requirement. The 2022 award had a 20 percent matching requirement. The 2023 award had a 20 percent matching requirement. Match must be made available within two years of the award disbursement date.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. Funds are available until expended. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: Lump. None/Not specified. Risa Garza
633 3rd Street NW
Washington, DC 20001 US
grants@eac.gov
Phone: 866-747-1471 https://www.eac.gov/payments-and-grants/101-election-improvement 95-1651-0-1-808 (Formula Grants) FY 22$75,000,000.00; FY 23 est $75,000,000.00; FY 24 est $0.00; FY 19 Estimate Not Available FY 17$0.00; FY 18 est $380,000,000.00; - $600,000 - $34,560,000 Not applicable. Not applicable.