The Election Verification Network

The Election Verification Network provides a national infrastructure for strong relationships, information sharing, issue discussions and collaboration among leaders working to improve elections. EVN’s framework allows participants to:

• Protect our democracy every day of every year, not just during the run-up to each election. Participants share research and reports, project updates, policy alerts, requests for information, and calls for action, using a participant email list that is at once a community, library, laboratory and think tank. The resulting discussion distills a vast field of new developments, aids collaboration, and connects state-based advocates with top academic, policy and legal minds from around the country.
• Provide focused technical and policy updates. Monthly conference calls feature guest speakers and give participants a chance to discuss high priority issues.
• Respond collectively to urgent issues. For example, when a proposed corporate merger would have given one voting machine vendor control of over 70 percent of the nation’s votes, an ad hoc committee leveraged strong relationships within EVN to coordinate a quick response, informing the U.S. Department of Justice of serious risks to voters. The DOJ ultimately opposed the merger.
• Meet in person for networking, education, problem-solving and strategy development. EVN participants and invited guests meet for an annual conference that gathers stakeholders at all levels. In 2010, U.S. Election Assistance Commission Chair Donetta Davidson wrote: “I left the EVN Conference with a renewed sense of optimism about advocates and election officials actually working together and not talking past each other. I truly believe we’ve begun to build a foundation based upon trust and the mutual goal of service to voters.”
• Recognize contributions to the field of election verification. Each year EVN honors outstanding leaders with awards for their service to democracy.