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Election administrators and officials can work together in an open, respectful, and collaborative manner, sharing information through a listserv, workgroups, and annual conferences.
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Citizen activists can operate on equal footing with national nonprofit groups, leading researchers, and election administrators.
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EVN participants don’t take formal positions on specific issues of election verification, regulatory solutions or legislative remedies (though most of our participants may do so on their own).
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When communicating with and within EVN, participants are rigorously nonpartisan, objective partners, and advocates for all who seek maximum voter participation in tandem with privacy, security, transparency, and accountability.
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Our collective focus is on the integrity of voting system, yet we represent the entire spectrum of election integrity issues. Every part of our work is firmly rooted in the broad context of privacy, accessibility, civil rights, and voter experience.
Election Evolution
Because technology is advancing so rapidly that it creates both advantages and threats, and as election systems and laws change, EVN is a critical resource for election-related decision makers. EVN’s value proposition is significant: it is the only consistent venue for election integrity leaders to address urgent issues together, to share strategy, gather information, and coordinate efforts and work.
“If there has been an election problem in the news, EVN is the first place I turn to for the true facts and for informed discussion from several different perspectives. It’s where all the experts are. There is really no other comparable source of information.”
Professor David DillDepartments of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, Stanford University
"EVN has allowed me to get the legal help and technical advice I need to focus on the right problems. I regard EVN as crucial to all I’ve done recently—it’s the access to many informed opinions from a diverse network.”
Professor Duncan BuellDepartment of Computer Science, University of South Carolina, Retired
“I have found the members of EVN to be willing and eager to teach this EA all I can absorb about electronic voting security and new auditing methods.
Dana DeBeauvoirFormer Travis County Clerk
Using EVN’s infrastructure, participants have played pivotal roles in many landmark solutions, decisions and innovations, and we continue to work together on issues that emerge (such as those noted here):
| Voter-verified paper trail requirements | Election Day legal and logistical help for voters | Safe technology for military and overseas voting |
| Security threat identification | Voting system risk assessments | Election reform design |
| Improved ballot designs, instructions and accessibility | Voter experience: troubleshooting and improvements | Research, technological consulting and advocacy |
| 50 state election systems “scorecards” | Election Day problem tracking and analysis | Streamlined verification and recount processes |
| Legal challenges to flawed systems | Innovative audit techniques and audit requirements | |
| Election Assistance Commission participation | Open-source and publicly owned voting technologies | Election auditing and recount projects |
| Public access to election-related data | Voting system contract advice for election officials | Risk-limiting audit design |
The Election Verification Network is governed by a volunteer Coordinating Committee and staffed part-time.
2021 Coordinating Committee
- Josh Benaloh (Chair), Microsoft Research
- Elizabeth Howard, The Brennan Center for Justice
- Mark Lindeman, Verified Voting
- Dwight Shellman, Colorado Dept. of State
- Kevin Skoglund, Citizens for Better Elections
- Stafford Ward, Unaffiliated
Staff
- Elaine Headley, Election Verification Network, Assistant