Supporting_Statement_Part_B(db)

Election Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS) Section B Data Standard (ESB Data Standard)

Supporting Statement Part B

B.  COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS

1.  Description of the Activity

The Election Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS) Section B (ESB) data standard is intended to reflect at least 90% of all voting-related transactions for military and overseas citizens covered by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA). The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) seeks and expects to secure data from all states and jurisdictions that are members of the Council of State Governments (CSG) Overseas Voting Initiative (OVI), and to expand data collection to all 55 state and territories which currently report data for the EAVS.

2.  Procedures for the Collection of Information

Not applicable.

3.  Maximization of Response Rates, Non-response, and Reliability

FVAP works closely with the CSG OVI working group members to ensure maximum response rate and minimal non-response. Starting in 2015, FVAP began working with CSG’s OVI to develop a data standard which could sufficiently capture individual-level data about voters covered by UOCAVA. The goal was to make it easier for elections data to be reported in a common, individual-level transaction format, which could allow more innovative analysis and increase the ease and efficiency of reporting. FVAP continues these collaborative efforts and works closely with state and local election officials to maximize response to this data collection effort.

Response Rates

In order to ensure that states and local election jurisdictions are prepared for this data collection, FVAP has worked closely with CSG and the members of the OVI working group, which are comprised of state and local election officials from participating election jurisdictions.

This working group recommended that state and local election offices work with FVAP and the EAC to adopt and implement a UOCAVA Data Standard to reduce the burden of completing federal reporting requirements for military and overseas voting and provide better data related to the voter’s experience and the drivers of voter success

In 2016 and 2018, ESB data were reported to CSG, which took responsibility for validating and reconciling initial data pulls provided by members. In 2020, FVAP will be collecting data directly using an Excel spreadsheet which election officials will upload into FVAP’s portal. This will make the process easier for respondents and allow participants to more easily provide data extracted from state or local election management systems directly to FVAP.

Minimizing Non-Response

During the data collection process, FVAP will carefully review information submitted by state and local respondents to ensure completeness and accuracy of submissions. Multi-part review process which includes identification of items left blank, conformity of data to the ESB standard, and other validation checks to minimize non-response.

FVAP also minimizes non-response by working directly with participating states and localities regarding how to respond to specific questions. The ESB data standard was designed to be compatible with election management systems and business processes across jurisdictions. This enables reporting and minimizes non-response to items requested as part of this standard.

This standard captures data from state databases, which has the advantage of both more accurately capturing information about UOCAVA voting activity and reducing the reporting burden on state and local election officials responding.

FVAP anticipates a response rate of 100% for OVI working group member states and jurisdictions. In 2018, ESB data covered over one-third of the total UOCAVA population.

4.  Tests of Procedures

The ESB data standard was developed in collaboration with the CSG OVI Technology Working Group’s Data Standardization/Performance Metrics Subgroup using a consensus driven approach. Through this mechanism and the cooperation with working group members, OVI was able to collect standardized UOCAVA data from 14 election jurisdictions in 2016 and 2018, representing approximately one third of the total UOCAVA population. These pilot efforts to collect and analyze data assisted in the development of the Data Standard, which was revised iteratively based on pilot data analysis and discussion with working group members.

5.  Statistical Consultation and Information Analysis

The FVAP staff member responsible for conducting this information collection is:

Sarah Vella, Program Analyst

Federal Voting Assistance Program

Department of Defense

4800 Mark Center Drive, Suite 05E22 Alexandria, VA 22350-5000

Tel: 571-372-0736

[email protected]

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