The Omnibus Appropriation Act for Fiscal Year (FY) 2008, Public Law (P.L.) 110-161, Title V, authorizes the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to award $10,000,000 in grants to States to implement a data collection program for the Federal elections scheduled to be held in November 2008. Of that sum, $2 million will be provided to each of five eligible applicants.
The EAC is soliciting proposals from States to improve the collection of data at the precinct-level for the November 2008 Federal elections.
The purpose of the Election Data Collection Grant Program is to:
 Develop and document a series of administrative and procedural best practices in election data collection that can be replicated by other States;
 Improve data collection processes;
 Enhance the capacity of States and their jurisdictions to collect accurate and complete election data; and
 Document and describe particular administrative and management data collection practices, as well as particular data collection policies and procedures.
State grantees will use the grant funds in part to implement new data collection procedures, systems, and/or methodologies for the November 2008 election. They will have until March 2009 to report the data collected from that election to the EAC.
Not later than June 30, 2009, the EAC will submit a report to Congress on the impact of the grant program on States ability to effectively collect Federal precinct-level election data.
On December 22, 2007, Congress authorized the Omnibus Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2008. Public Law 110-161 authorized the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (Âthe EACÂ or Âthe CommissionÂ) to award $10 million in grants to States to implement a data collection program for Federal elections scheduled to be held in November 2008.
Under the Administrative Provision of the Act (Section 501), not later than March 30, 2008 the EAC shall establish an election data collection grant program (in this text heretofore referred to as the ÂprogramÂ) to provide a grant of $2 million to each of five eligible States to improve the collection of precinct-level data relating to the November 2008 Federal elections.
Under Section C, ÂTiming of Grants; Availability, Section 1 declares Âthe Commission shall award grants under the program to eligible States not later than 60 days after the date on which the Commission establishes the program.Â
Given these specifications and the timelines that Congress requires for the implementation of this grant program, the EAC is requesting that the OMB Clearance process be expedited. The Commission believes it is valuable and important to have public comment on the Election Data Collection Grant Program Request for Application, as well as on the particular data elements that the State grantees will be required to collect. As such, the Commission has allowed for a 10-day public comment period. This period allows time for the public and the agencyÂs key stakeholders to review the Request for Application while still allowing the Commission to meet its statutory deadline for advertising the grant program by March 30, 2008.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
RFA Grant Program-FINAL.doc
Election Data Collection Grant Program