IFES - United States Elections Services

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The United States of America

Trainer Jim Heilman and Jennifer Collins-Foley show how to cast a ballot using the optical scan machine.

Americans affirmed their commitment to the vitality of their election system through the passage of the Help America Vote Act in 2002, committing $3.6 billion to upgrade, standardize and professionalize the conduct of elections in this country. The Help America Vote Act requires the adoption of new technologies and procedures, increasing the capacity and efficiency of election officials, and helping voters to understand and accept these changes. With nearly 20 years of experience in election assistance to governments at all levels, IFES stands ready to help America's election authorities to meet the challenges ahead. IFES can help State and local jurisdictions, private partners, and non-government institutions:

• Meet the requirements of the Help America Vote Act
• Offer on-site poll worker training and training material design
• Set performance goals and measures
• Meet federal audit reporting requirements
• Upgrade general election administration
• Conduct voter education and election administration training
• Adopt new election procedures and voting technologies
• Develop or evaluate solicitations and proposals
• Advise and support voter registries
• Develop election staff and process management tools and systems
• Develop and implement mapping and redistricting strategies
• Improve election accessibility for citizens with disabilities
• Enfranchise historically disadvantaged groups
• Offer campaign finance monitoring support
• Develop emergency preparedness and disaster plans
• Adjudicate election disputes
• Monitor and observe elections and training

IFES works directly with local, state, federal, and private partners in supporting technical assistance initiatives and projects. IFES has direct access to American election specialists whose talents include administration, training, education, material development, outreach, technology transference, and legal review and analysis. IFES technicians and specialists hail from across the United States.

Current Projects

EAC

IFES is helping the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) train pollworkers and conduct research into improving the United States' election process.

Evaluating Fulton County, Georgia's Registration & Elections Department

In February 2006, IFES was awarded a sub-contract under TCBA (a professional services firm) to offer management and technical advisory services to the Registration and Elections Department of Fulton County, Georgia. Under the contract “Organizational Evaluation & Service Delivery Plan to Action,” IFES is actively engaged in 1) assessing the department’s current organizational structure, delivery systems, benchmarking structure and service delivery system (against other local registration and election departments), 2) identifying service gaps, 3) assisting in reevaluating and reaffirming the department’s current vision and mission, 4) anticipating social, environmental and economic changes within the community that impact future delivery service, 5) anticipating changes in federal, state and local law that impact future delivery service and 6) assisting the department to develop core strategies and new goals to address future needs.

HAVA Reforms in Puerto Rico

IFES has been assisting the State Elections Commission since June 2003 as targeted on-site and off-site technical advisors supporting the State Elections Commission’s staff in the Commission’s efforts to successfully meet requirements mandated under the Help America Vote Act (HAVA).

Technical Assistance to the District of Columbia's Board of Elections and Ethics

Past Projects in The United States of America »