The proposed information collection is
necessary to meet requirements of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA)
of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 15301). HAVA §241 requires the U.S. Election
Assistance Commission (EAC) to study and report on election
activities, practices, policies, and procedures, including methods
of voter registration, methods of conducting provisional voting,
poll worker recruitment and training, and such other matters as the
Commission determines are appropriate. In addition, HAVA §802
transferred to the EAC the Federal Election Commissions
responsibility of biennially administering a survey on the impact
of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) (42 U.S.C. 1973gg-1
et seq.). The information the States are required to submit to the
EAC for purposes of the NVRA report are found under Title 11 of the
Code of Federal Regulations (11 CFR 8.7). HAVA §703(a) also amended
§102 the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voters Act
(UOCAVA) (42 U.S.C. 1973ff-1) by requiring that not later than 90
days after the date of each regularly scheduled general election
for Federal office, each State and unit of local government which
administered the election shall (through the State, in the case of
a unit of local government) submit a report to the Election
Assistance Commission (established under the Help America Vote Act
of 2002) on the combined number of absentee ballots transmitted to
absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters for the
election and the combined number of such ballots which were
returned by such voters and cast in the election, and shall make
such a report available to the general public.
The proposed information
collection is necessary to meet requirements of the Help America
Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 15301). HAVA §241 requires the
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to study and report on
election activities, practices, policies, and procedures, including
methods of voter registration, methods of conducting provisional
voting, poll worker recruitment and training, and such other
matters as the Commission determines are appropriate. In addition,
HAVA §802 transferred to the EAC the Federal Election Commissions
responsibility of biennially administering a survey on the impact
of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) (42 U.S.C. 1973gg-1
et seq.). The information the States are required to submit to the
EAC for purposes of the NVRA report are found under Title 11 of the
Code of Federal Regulations (11 CFR 8.7). HAVA §703(a) also amended
§102 the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voters Act
(UOCAVA) (42 U.S.C. 1973ff-1) by requiring that not later than 90
days after the date of each regularly scheduled general election
for Federal office, each State and unit of local government which
administered the election shall (through the State, in the case of
a unit of local government) submit a report to the Election
Assistance Commission (established under the Help America Vote Act
of 2002) on the combined number of absentee ballots transmitted to
absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters for the
election and the combined number of such ballots which were
returned by such voters and cast in the election, and shall make
such a report available to the general public. Additionally, in
December 2007, Congress authorized the Omnibus Appropriations Act
for Fiscal Year 2008. Public Law 110-161 authorized the U.S.
Election Assistance Commission to award $10 million in grants to
States to implement a data collection program for Federal elections
scheduled to be held in November 2008. The information being sought
for the grant program is connected to the 2008 Election
Administration and Voting Survey. In order for states to configure
their database systems to query the data being requested as part of
the 2008 Election Administration and Voting Survey and $10 million
grant program, state and local election officials need the final
version of the survey as soon as possible. It is on this basis that
the EAC requests that the OMB Clearance process be expedited and
that the next phase of public comment be waived.
US Code:
42
USC 15301 Name of Law: Help America Vote Act of 2002
US Code: 42
USC 1973ff-1 Name of Law: Uniformed and Overseas Citizen
Absentee Voters Act
US Code:
42 USC 1973gg-1 et seq. Name of Law: National Voter
Registration Act
While this year's collection
should be easier for states to engage due to multiple modes for
providing the data and the intensive technical assistance being
offered to states, the increase in burden between 2006 and 2008 is
due, in part, to requests for clarification of information as
indicated in the public comments and EACs assessment of the
utility of having the additional information. In some instances
this necessitated the addition of questions to the instrument.
Although states should be quite familiar with most of the
information being requested since many of the questions are similar
to those appearing in previous iterations of the survey, EAC wanted
to allow extra time for states to understand, process, and collect
the data related to the new items.
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.
Form EAC-RS01 2006 Election Administration and Voting Survey
EDS_2008_Explanation of Burden Increase.doc
2006 Election Administration and Voting Survey