Help America Vote Act Requirements Payments

 

HAVA Section 251 authorizes requirements payments to assist States (including the District of Columbia and U.S. Territories) in meeting the Uniform and Nondiscriminatory Election Technology and Administration Requirements in Title III of the Act (voting systems standards, provisional voting and voting information requirements, computerized statewide voter registration list requirements and requirements for voters who register by mail) and, under certain circumstances, for other activities to improve the administration of Federal elections.

General information about this opportunity
Last Known Status
Active
Program Number
90.401
Federal Agency/Office
U.S. Election Assistance Commission
Type(s) of Assistance Offered
A - Formula Grants; C - Direct Payments For Specified Use
Program Accomplishments
Fiscal Year 2022 As of September 30, 2022, 30 states reported spending 100 percent of their HAVA Requirements Payment funds (including interest) and another 17 states reported spending 90% or more of their funds and interest. States reported cumulative expenditures of $2,770,043,030 or 95% of total funds. The states with the highest percentages remaining include states that had replaced a large portion of their voting equipment immediately prior to receiving HAVA funds. Those states expect to replace voting equipment in the near future, and their balance of unexpended funds will decrease significantly.
Authorization
42 U.S.C., 42 U.S.C. 15401-15408
Who is eligible to apply/benefit from this assistance?
Applicant Eligibility
Section 253(d) provides that States may not file a statement of certification to receive a requirements payments until the expiration of a 45-day period (or, in the case of a fiscal year other than the first fiscal year for which a requirements payment is made to the State, a 30-day period) that begins on the date the EAC publishes the State plan in the Federal Register. State, or designee, in consultation with the chief State election official, to file with EAC a statement certifying that the State is in compliance with the conditions set forth in Section 253(b). The State may meet this certification requirement by filing the following statement: hereby certifies that it is in compliance with the requirements referred to in To receive funds for a fiscal year, HAVA Section 253 requires the chief executive officer of the State, or designee, in consultation with the chief State election official, to file with EAC a statement certifying that the State is in compliance with the conditions set forth in Section 253(b). For the purpose of this requirement, the chief State election official is the individual designated by the State under section 10 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 1973gg-8) to be responsible for coordination of the States responsibilities under such Act. Section 253(b) requires the State to: have filed with EAC a State plan covering the fiscal year that the State certifies: contained each of the elements required to be in the State plan, according to HAVA Section 254, including how the State will establish a State Election Fund in accordance with Section 254(b); was developed in accordance with Section 255, which describes the process of using a committee of appropriate individuals, including the chief election officials of the two most populous jurisdictions, other local election officials, stake holders (including representatives of groups of individuals with disabilities), and other citizens to develop the plan; and met the 30-day public notice and comment requirements of Section 256 have filed with the EAC a plan for the implementation of the uniform, non-discriminatory administrative complaint procedures required under Section 402 (or has included such a plan in the State plan), and have such procedures in place. If the State did not include such an implementation plan in the State plan, the Federal Register publication and the committee development requirements of Sections 255(b) and 256 apply to the implementation plan in the same manner as they apply to the State plan. be in compliance with each of the following federal laws: The Voting Rights Act of 1965; The Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act; The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act; The National Voter Registration Act of 1993; he Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990; and The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to the extent that any portion of the requirements payment is used for activities other than meeting the requirements of Title III, have provided that: the State's proposed uses of the requirements payment are not inconsistent with the requirements of Title III; and the use of the funds under this paragraph is consistent with the requirements of Section 251(b); have appropriated funds for carrying out the activities for which the requirements payment is made in an amount equal to 5 percent of the total amount to be spent for such activities (taking into account the requirements payment and the amount spent by the State) and, in the case of a State that uses a requirements payment as a reimbursement for voting equipment under Section 251(c)(2), an additional amount equal to the amount of such reimbursement.
Beneficiary Eligibility
Fifty States, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Credentials/Documentation
Qualifying jurisdictions must follow the procedures set forth in the Help America Vote Act, 42 U.S.C. 15401 et. seq., entitled Requirements Payments.
What is the process for applying and being award this assistance?
Pre-Application Procedure
Preapplication coordination is not applicable.
Application Procedure
2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. HAVA Section 253 requires the chief executive officer of the section 253(b) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002. (with the blank to be filled in with the name of the State involved). In addition, the General Services Administration (GSA), which disbursed the Title II requirements payments to States on behalf of EAC, requested that a representative from each State contact Sharon Pugh (Sharon.Pugh@GSA.gov) or Brad Farris (Brad.Farris@GSA.gov) on (816) 823-3108 to provide information on State contact points, including name, telephone number, address and email address. GSA then contacted the State representatives to obtain banking information required for an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT).
Award Procedure
Based upon the certification statement filed by the State, EAC notified GSA that a State is due receipt of its Title II payment for a particular fiscal year (i.e., either FY 2003 funds, FY 2004 funds, or both). GSA disbursed the Title II funds for a particular fiscal year to the account specified by the State, and notified the State and EAC of the disbursement in writing, specifying the amounts disbursed by fiscal year. EAC provided separate notification to States specifying the amount to be disbursed by GSA. All funds were disbursed via EFT.
Deadlines
Not applicable.
Approval/Disapproval Decision Time
Not applicable.
Appeals
Not applicable.
Renewals
Not applicable.
How are proposals selected?
Not applicable.
How may assistance be used?
HAVA Section 251(b) provides that these funds are to be used only to meet the requirements of HAVA Title III, except that States may use the payments to carry out other activities to improve the administration of elections for Federal office if the State certifies to EAC that: (1) the State has implemented the requirements of Title III; or (2) the amount to be expended with respect to such other activities does not exceed an amount equal to the minimum requirements payment amount applicable to the State. Section 251(c) also explains that a State may use a requirements payment: (1) as a reimbursement for costs incurred in obtaining voting equipment which meets the requirements of section 301 (voting systems standards) if the State obtains the equipment after the regularly scheduled general election for Federal office held in November 2000, notwithstanding the Act's maintenance of effort requirements; and (2) for any costs for voting equipment which meets the requirements of section 301 that were incurred pursuant to a multi-year contract on or after January 1, 2001, except that the amount that the State is otherwise required to contribute under the maintenance of effort requirements must be increased by the amount of the payment made with respect to such multiyear contract. Funds are available until expended.
What are the requirements after being awarded this opportunity?
Reporting
Performance Reports: Semi-annual Progress Report
Auditing
HAVA Title IX, Section 902, authorizes EAC to audit or examine books, documents, papers and records of any recipient that are deemed pertinent to the payment; stipulates that the provision applies to all recipients of payments under the Act; requires that all funds provided under the Act are subject to mandatory audit by the Comptroller General at least once during the lifetime of the program, with the same access to records as EAC; and requires that, if the Comptroller General determines that an excess payment has been made or the recipient is not in compliance, the recipient must pay the office that made the payment an amount that reflects the excess payment or the proportion representing noncompliance.
Records
HAVA Title IX, Section 902, requires recipients of payments under the Act to keep records consistent with sound accounting principles to facilitate an effective audit and stipulates that the provision applies to all recipients of payments under the Act.
Other Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching is mandatory. 5%. 5% Match Required

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Available until requested. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: Lump.
Who do I contact about this opportunity?
Regional or Local Office
U.S. Election Assistance Commission
Headquarters Office
Risa Garza
633 3rd Street NW
Washington, DC 20001 US
grants@eac.gov
Phone: 866-747-1471
Website Address
https://www.eac.gov/payments-and-grants/251-requirements
Financial Information
Account Identification
95-1651-0-1-808
Obligations
(Formula Grants) FY 22$0.00; FY 23 est $0.00; FY 24 est $0.00; FY 18 FY 17 FY 19 -
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
$500,000-$27,000,000
Regulations, Guidelines and Literature
Not applicable.
Examples of Funded Projects
Not applicable.

 



Federal Grants Resources