Voluntary Voting System Guidelines Roadmap

1
Voluntary Voting System Guidelines Roadmap

• Nelson Hastings, Ph.D.
• Technical Project Leader for Voting Standards,
  ITL
• http//vote.nist.gov

2
Background

• Provide an update on voluntary voting system
  guidelines (VVSG) development and related
  research
• Activities and timelines presented are dependent
  on having a quorum of EAC Commissioners and
  agencies receiving the current level of funding

3
2011 Goals

• Complete draft of Common Data Format standard to
  support voting systems
• Develop initial epollbook and ballot on demand
  voting system guidelines
• Develop standard test set of optical scan marks
• Finalize VVSG 1.1 for EAC approval

4
VVSG 1.1 Status

• Completed baseline version addressing requests
  from initial public review
• NIST now incorporating EAC requests
• EAC will incorporate request for interpretations
  (RFIs)
• EAC has clarified the approach for the
  reliability requirements and accuracy test method
• EAC has requested additional VVSG 2.0
  requirements be added to baseline VVSG 1.1
• Access control
• Event logging

5
Next Steps - VVSG 1.1 Milestones

• September 2011 VVSG 1.1 version complete and
  transmitted to EAC
• October 2011 EAC 30 day public comment period
• November 2011 Final version complete, including
  responses to public comments
• December 2011 EAC vote to adopt

6
VVSG 1.1 Status

• VVSG 1.1 test suite needs to be expanded to
  include additional VVSG 2.0 requirements
• Test suite validation and integration into
  certification program delayed due to expanded
  scope of VVSG 1.1 and updated adoption date
  (December 2011)
• EAC and NIST met with both accredited voting
  system test laboratories to discuss ways to
  integrate test suite into the certification
  program

7
FY12 Goals

• Complete draft Common Data Format standard
• Finalize draft VVSG 2.0 for public comment
• Resolve public comments on draft VVSG 2.0
• Finalize VVSG 2.0 for EAC approval

FY13 Goals
8
VVSG 2.0 Status

• Baseline work to begin after final version of
  VVSG 1.1 delivered to EAC
• Baseline to include corrections to errata
  developed since release, resolutions to simple
  public comments, and lessons learned from test
  method and VVSG 1.1 development
• Six or seven months to complete baseline

9
VVSG 2.0 Work Items

• Alternatives to software independence
• Auditability working group delivered report to
  EAC
• EAC developing policy guidance for the TGDC based
  on the Report of the Auditability Working Group
• Common Data Format
• Common Data Format standard to support UOCAVA
  blank ballot delivery complete
• IEEE P.1622 deciding on next use case(s) for
  development such as event logging, epollbook, and
  election management systems

10
VVSG 2.0 Status

• Accessibility and usability research
• Complete validation of usability benchmarks and
  other performance based test methods
  (accessibility, poll worker usability)
• Investigating issues identified in VVSG 2.0 and
  Beyond Issues and Gaps in the Usability and
  Accessibility Requirements from December 2010
• Open ended vulnerability testing (OEVT)
• NIST research applying software assurance case
  methodology to OEVT to be completed by end of 2011

11
VVSG 2.0 Milestones

• June 2012 Baseline version complete
• December 2013 Public comment version complete
• January March 2014 90-day public comment
  period
• April August 2014 EAC policy decisions and
  edits complete
• September November 2014 90-day public comment
  period
• December 2014 February 2015 EAC policy
  decisions and edits complete
• March 2015 EAC vote to adopt

12
Milestone Assumptions

• EAC Commissioner quorum allows EAC action
• Agencies continue to receive current level of
  funding
• Policy decisions settled and guidance provided on
  key issues (such as software independence, open
  ended vulnerability testing, and Common Data
  Format) by June 2012
• Research in key areas (such as usability,
  accessibility, epollbooks, and ballot on demand)
  is complete or nearly complete by June 2012

13
Discussion/Questions
Page 13