Silver Spring, Md. – The Election Assistance Commission has certified Unisyn Voting Solutions, Inc.’s (Unisyn) OpenElect 2.0 voting system, verifying its compliance with current federal standards. The determination came after a thorough test campaign conducted by EAC and Pro V&V in Huntsville, Ala., the commission’s newest testing lab.



“At a time when the nation’s voting systems are aging and there is a renewed focus on the accessibility, accuracy and security of elections, the EAC is proud to test and certify voting systems so that state and local election officials can confidently purchase new equipment that meets federal requirements,” said Brian Hancock, Director of the Election Assistance Commission’s Voting System Testing and Certification program.



The OpenElect 2.0 voting system is the seventh Unisyn system certified as meeting federal standards, including modifications. This system meets the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines 1.0 (VVSG 1.0) established in 2005.

The EAC is currently partnering with a diverse working group comprised of representatives from the election community, public sector, private sector and interest groups to develop the next iteration of the election system testing and certification guidelines, VVSG 2.0. Last month, the next generation of guidelines was adopted by the EAC’s Technical Guidelines Development Committee (TGDC). The recommended guidelines have been submitted to the members of the EAC’s Board of Advisors and Standards Board, who will review and provide comments on the guidelines. Following the boards’ review, there will be a 90-day public comment period for the public to comment on the guidelines. The new guidelines are rooted in 17 core voting system functions and are expected to be released in 2018. The VVSG 2.0 will become the highest standard against which voting systems can be commercially tested in the United States.



Last year marked the 10th anniversary of the EAC’s Testing and Certification program, which is the most successful and most implemented voting machine testing and certification program in the nation. The EAC’s Testing and Certification program was a requirement of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA). HAVA created the EAC and mandated that the commission provide certification, decertification, and recertification of voting systems, as well as the accreditation of voting system testing laboratories. HAVA marked the first time the federal government funded these activities, a step that allowed states to procure new certified voting systems without the added expense of independent testing and certification.



For more information about the certification, please contact Brenda Bowser Soder at bsoder@eac.gov or 301-563-3951. You can learn more about the EAC’s Testing and Certification program at www.eac.gov.