History of Voting at NIST

The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002 was passed by the United States Congress to make sweeping reforms to the nation's voting process. HAVA addresses improvements to voting systems and voter access that were identified following the 2000 election.  Read the Help America Vote Act of 2002

NIST research activities include:

• security of computers, computer networks, and computer data storage used in voting systems;
• methods to detect and prevent fraud;
• protection of voter privacy; and
• the role of human factors in the design and application of voting systems, including assistive technologies for individuals with disabilities (including blindness) and varying levels of literacy
• the recommendation for accreditation of testing labs to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC). The EAC, not NIST, certifies voting systems for use in elections.
• NIST and the Help America Vote Act (HAVA)
• VVSG Background

Pre-HAVA

Accuracy, Integrity and Security in Computerized Vote-Tallying
Published: October 01, 1988
NIST SP 500-158 (DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1145/63039.63041)
Author(s): Roy Saltman (NIST)

Improving the Voting Process: A Multi-disciplinary and Politicized Problem (html)
Saltman, Roy G.
9/21/2007

Auditability of Non-Ballot, Poll-Site Voting Systems
Roy Saltman (Non-NIST paper)
August 24, 2003

The History and Politics of Voting Technology In Quest of Integrity and Public Confidence
Roy Saltman (Book)
2006

Archived Material

Development of VVSG 2.0

• Public Working Groups
  • Former NIST-EAC Public Working Groups
     
• Interoperability
  • Common Data Format Research Group 
    • Common Data Format (CDF) Ballot Styles Subgroup 
    • Common Data Format (CDF) Use-Case Subgroup) 
       
• Historical Voting TWiki Site

Material Before VVSG 2.0

• Proposed Revisions to 2005 Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (Draft VVSG Version 1.1)
  • EAC 130 Day Public Comment Period for VVSG 1.1 begins September 6, 2012
  • Test Suites for Revised Section of VVSG 2005
     
• As part of its development of voting standards, NIST consulted with TGDC subcommittees and holds regular subcommittee teleconferences and periodic TGDC meetings. TGDC meetings and presentations, along with related NIST work material are open to the public. The public may submit comments to the TGDC, and may view other public comments and position statements submitted to the TGDC.
  • TGDC Subcommittee Work - Historical Meetings
  • TGDC Subcommittee Work Plan & Public Input
     
• TGDC Meetings and Outputs Prior to VVSG 2.0
   
• VVSG 1.0
  • Volume 1 (PDF 2.06MB)
    • Volume 1 (Text Version)
  • Volume 2 (PDF 1.77MB)
    • Volume 2 (Text Version)
       
• VVSG 1.1
  • VVSG 1.1 Volume 1 - 2015
    • Volume 1 (Text Version)
  • VVSG 1.1 Volume 2 - 2015
    • Volume 2 (Text Version)

Testing Material

NIST has developed test material to support the EAC’s Testing and Certification Program (with link to that).  The following are archived material.  Current testing material should be obtained from the EAC.

Testing for VVSG 1.1 and VVSG 1.0

VVSG 1.1

• QA/CM Test Assertions for VVSG 1.1, September, 2016

• Test Assertions for VVSG 1.1, Volume 2, Section 2.1, September 6, 2016
• Security Test Assertions for VVSG 1.1, Section 7, September, 2016
• Test Assertions for VVSG 1.1, Volume 1, Section 8.1, September 23, 2016
• Test Assertions for VVSG 1.1, Volume 1, Section 8.2, September 23, 2016

VVSG 1.0

• Security Test Assertions for VVSG 1.0 Section 7, August 2015
• Human Factors Test Assertions for VVSG 1.0 Section 3, August 2015  
• Human Factors Test Assertions for VVSG 1.0 Section 3, October 2014
• Test Assertions for VVSG 1.0 Section 3

Test Development for Voting Systems

• Test Suite Review Process

• Testing FAQs HAVA Certification and Testing

• Why Test Suites

Other