Emergency planning
Running elections that voters trust requires preparing for emergencies and ensuring security to safeguard critical infrastructure. Robust emergency planning, physical security, and cybersecurity demonstrate a commitment to safeguarding the people, places, materials, and data involved in running secure and transparent elections. This is one of three standards that define excellence in emergencies and security. This draft standard will be updated based on feedback from the election community.
Standard
Your election office is prepared to address emergencies that disrupt administrative or voting functions. To achieve this standard:
- You have comprehensive plans that address continuity, contingency, and response that are reviewed prior to every election and updated every two years.
- You train staff and poll workers and align with all affected stakeholders so everyone understands their roles and expectations.
- You have alternate methods to access important systems and materials needed to navigate emergencies.
- You have relationships with appropriate partners across all levels of government for support, and they are informed about your planning protocols.
- Your emergency plans include how and what to communicate with the public in emergencies.
Why this standard matters
It is important that we are explicit about the underlying why for each standard. While not attached to measurements, the intended impact of an election department achieving this standard is that:
- Election departments will be more resilient and able to continue operations in emergencies.
- Election departments will continue to meet voting deadlines and serve voters’ needs when faced with emergencies
- Election departments promote the safety of staff and voters through comprehensive emergency planning.