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The EAC’s Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Report is now available at eac.gov. The EAC is the only federal agency solely focused on election administration. The agency sets standards, tests and certifies voting equipment, supports election officials, and serves voters. By fulfilling this mission, the EAC works toward making elections safe, secure, accurate, and accessible.  

This month, the EAC is highlighting:

Thanks for a Great Help America Vote Day!

With the 2026 midterm elections beginning in early March, the EAC urged Americans to sign up as poll workers as a part of the Help America Vote Day initiative on January 27. The EAC established this day to address ongoing poll worker shortages and encourage people to learn how to register to vote and cast a ballot.  State election offices in 25 states participated in Help America Vote Day. They were joined by nonprofits, elected officials, and other organizations from across the country. According to the 2024 Election Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS), over 772,000 poll workers served during the 2024 general election, yet 48% of jurisdictions reported having a very or somewhat difficult time recruiting poll workers in their communities. As the election season progresses, the EAC is already preparing for the next major recruitment effort. Mark your calendars – National Poll Worker Recruitment Day 2026 will be held on August 11! Look for more information this summer.

Voters: Make Sure You Are Election Ready

In addition to Help America Vote Day, the EAC supports voter education year-round with resources such as the “Be Election Ready” six-part video series. These videos guide voters through every step of the voting process, starting with registration and making a plan to vote. Each video is about two minutes long and designed to allow election officials, civic organizations, and others to share them with their communities. In addition to full-length videos, the EAC created 30-second versions.

Election Audits: Ensuring Safe, Secure, and Accurate Elections

Another way election officials can prepare for the 2026 midterms is by determining which election audits they will perform to ensure safe, secure, and accurate elections. There are many types of audits that target different aspects of the election process, and each state is responsible for establishing its own audit policies and procedures. Learn more about election audits with the following EAC resources: Post-Election Tabulation Audit Guide – Provides an introduction to the process of conducting different kinds of post-election tabulation audits, and the statistics involved.  Election Audits Across the United States – This document provides insight on the following topics related to audits: types of audits, timing, policies, case studies, and state-specific information.

Watch the EAC’s Election Audit Standards Hearing on February 18

On Wednesday, February 18 at 1:30 p.m. ET, join the EAC for a hearing on Election Audit Standards in the agency’s Washington, DC hearing room. During the hearing, current and former election officials, experts, and EAC staff will discuss how audits can boost trust in elections.

This event will be held in person and livestreamed on the EAC's YouTube channel. Please only register if you are planning to attend in person.

Learning Lab Corner: Election Audits

From the Learning Lab's Introduction to Election Audits video.

The EAC Learning Lab is a no-cost, online training platform designed to help election officials boost their skills and stay ahead in an evolving election landscape. Whether you’re new to election administration or have served for years, full-time or part-time, the Learning Lab delivers the knowledge you need, when you need it.

While the Learning Lab offers over 30 training modules, this month, the EAC is highlighting trainings on audits:

Introduction to Election Audits – (Est. Total Time: 11 Minutes) - This training covers the basics of election audits, such as goals, planning, and scope, and how they can be used to ensure accuracy, improve processes, and foster public trust in the election system. Types of Election Audits – (Est. Total Time: 20 Minutes) - This training will help election officials understand the different kinds of election audits that are conducted across U.S. election jurisdictions. Communicating About Audits – (Est. Total Time: 7 Minutes) – This training discusses why it is important for election officials to communicate about audits, how to tailor their communication for different audiences, and tips for successful audit communication.

If you aren't an election official, you can view the Learning Lab training videos on the EAC's YouTube channel. 

New: Web & Mobile Content Accessibility

The EAC has a new Learning Lab course on web and mobile accessibility. This training is designed to help election officials and their staff continue building expertise in advance of the upcoming U.S. Department of Justice regulations about making web and mobile content accessible. The EAC also developed a resource to complement the training and serve as a quick reference of the material.

Submissions Call for the 10th Annual Clearinghouse Awards

Apply or Nominate Election Office Programs until Feb. 20!   

The EAC is celebrating 10 years of Clearinghouse Awards in 2026. Also known as “the Clearies,” these awards highlight best practices in election administration and applaud the accomplishments of election officials nationwide. The submission period for the 10th annual Clearinghouse Awards opened on January 12, 2026 and all submissions must be received by 11:59 p.m. ET on February 20. To apply, visit eac.gov/clearies. View previous winners here.

Clearinghouse Awards 10th Anniversary: Winners Spotlight

Ann Arbor City Clerk’s Office, Michigan, 2024 Clearie Award Winner

In the latest blog post, the EAC features Ann Arbor City Clerk’s Office’s 2024 Clearinghouse Award for Exemplary Contingency Planning and Emergency Response Efforts in the Small/Medium Jurisdictions category.  

Check out this Q&A with Jacqueline Beaudry, Ann Arbor City Clerk, on the office’s tabletop exercises (TTX) and Emergency Election Operations handbook.

The 2026 EAVS is Open for Public Comments Until March 16

The EAC is accepting public comments on the draft 2026 Election Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS) and Policy Survey until Monday, March 16.We are looking for feedback on:

• Ways to minimize the burden of the information collection on respondents
• Any additional feedback on the survey itself
• Whether the survey questions and instructions are clear
• What questions should be added or removed
• Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected

Learn more about the EAVS at eac.gov/research-and-data.

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