I recently received an email from John Wack regarding the new IEEE draft standard for election data – and it’s worth sharing key parts of it with you:
I’m writing [about] the IEEE 1622.2 election results reporting draft standard. I’m the chair of the sponsoring committee in IEEE and editor of the 1622.2 draft standard, and we’ve had significant input/buy-in into the standard from several of the manufacturers[], a number of election officials including the Ohio SoS (who published November results in the 1622.2 format), and some industry groups such as the Associated Press. I’ve enjoyed working closely with Kim Brace [of Election Data Services, Inc.] especially, who was very helpful in making this not only a format for election results reporting but also a format for election management system import/export in general. Sarah Whitt from Wisconsin[‘s Government Accountability Board] chairs the 1622.2 working group and has been very helpful in attracting other election officials to the IEEE.
The draft standard is in the IEEE balloting process but we are taking pains to make others in the election community aware of it so that they could also comment (IEEE agreed to make the draft publicly available and to waive any subsequent fees they would otherwise charge on the standard)…
As you know, I work at [the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)] where we have been working for some years in the voting system standards and certification area…… NIST [is focusing also] on assisting the states, especially in areas having to do with election infrastructure. Thus, the common data format effort was started with the intention to make election equipment interoperate with regard to data definition and data format. We began working with the IEEE as a means for establishing guidelines and standards that election officials could require of manufacturers if they so choose. The IEEE process was especially desirable in that we could more easily involve manufacturers and subject matter experts such as election officials and individuals such as Kim
Full Article: IEEE Seeks Comments, Votes on New Election Data Standard – Election Academy.