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State board approves higher vendor fee for voting-system certification
Summary
The State Board adopted amendments to the Virginia voting-system certification standards, increasing the vendor fee for certification testing from $35,000 to $50,000 to cover expanded VSTL testing costs and expenses.
The State Board of Elections voted to approve amendments to the Virginia certification standards for voting systems that increase the vendor fee charged to voting-system vendors from $35,000 to $50,000.
A presenter for the Department of Elections said contracts for voting-system test laboratories (VSTLs) have been executed and that the complexity and expanded requirements increased VSTL pricing. The presenter summarized covered costs as travel, lodging, expenses and billable hours and said the existing refund policy for unused funds above $100 remains unchanged.
The chair read a motion to approve the proposed amendments, a motion was seconded and carried. Vice Chair Danz, Doug Gastaly and Senator Petersen recorded "aye," and the chair voted in the affirmative.
Why it matters: Certification standards govern which voting equipment can be used in Virginia and the costs of laboratory testing are typically borne by vendors seeking certification. The increase moves the vendor fee from the prior $35,000 level to $50,000 to reflect contract pricing for VSTL services.
Next steps: The board approved the amended standards; implementation and invoicing will be handled by the Department of Elections per the adopted language and executed VSTL contracts.
