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Board approves updates to Virginia voting‑system standards to align with federal VVSG‑2
Summary
The State Board approved updates to the Virginia voting system standards to align with the Election Assistance Commission’s VVSG‑2, adding requirements such as multifactor authentication, role‑based access control and updated ADA language, and said it will not decertify currently certified systems immediately.
The Virginia State Board of Elections approved proposed updates to the Commonwealth’s voting‑system standards to align Virginia requirements with the Election Assistance Commission’s VVSG‑2 guidelines. Department of Elections staff told the board the revisions include multifactor authentication, role‑based access control (RBAC), updated ADA accessibility language, and Virginia‑specific test assertions and methodologies.
Department staff said the updates were prompted by the EAC’s 2021 approval of VVSG‑2 and the EAC’s later certification of the first vendor under those standards. Staff told the board that the department will not decertify currently certified systems immediately and that localities should expect a migration period during which hybrid environments (mixing older and VVSG‑2 components) are possible. Staff also said testing time is likely to increase because the department must incorporate VVSG‑2 test assertions into its own process.
Michael Thomas of McGuireWoods Consulting, representing vendors whose equipment is used in many Virginia jurisdictions, urged the board to include “maintenance exceptions” for currently certified systems so that vendors and localities can implement necessary changes without re‑submitting under a wholly new standard. Thomas told the board: “With the EAC, there is this maintenance exception... the four categories of the maintenance exceptions are security updates, bug fixes, cuts replacement, jurisdictional rule changes, and updating and adding new components.”
Department staff told board members there will be an opportunity for localities and vendors to consult with the department about migration and that no vendor‑provided system would be decertified immediately. The board voted to adopt the proposed updates as presented.
Recorded motion and outcome: board motion to approve proposed updates to the Virginia Voting System Standards (to align with federal VVSG‑2); outcome: approved by roll call.
