STATEHOUSE (July 22, 2010) – State Sen. Sue Landske (R-Cedar Lake) and fellow members of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission Advisory Board (EAC) recently examined how to increase state and national turnout at the polls, improve voting technology and implement federal election standards.

“This provided a good opportunity for me to learn how to improve the election process and increase voter interest and involvement in Indiana,” Landske said. “While attending this EAC June meeting, I listened and gathered information about the latest types of voting equipment other states are using, and if voters and poll workers can easily operate the machinery. We also examined ways to help educate future election administrators, so that they can be prepared to run elections smoothly and discussed a grant program providing funds to help pay for student mock elections in high schools throughout the country.”

As chairman of the Indiana Senate Committee on Elections, Landske in 2009 was tapped by the National Conference of State Legislatures to serve on the EAC. Her expertise in elections recently led Indiana Senate leaders to appoint her to the bipartisan Census Data Advisory Committee where she will be working to ensure the state’s 2011 redistricting process is fair and accurate, studying the best practices of other states and the exploring the option of establishing an independent commission to draw district boundaries in the future.

While serving on the board of advisors for the EAC – a bipartisan commission – Landske is tasked with helping states meet provisions of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), a federal mandate passed in 2002 containing sweeping reforms to the nation’s voting process. Landske said following the 2000 elections, HAVA was created to address improvements to state and national voting systems.

She said duties of the EAC include establishing the first national voting system certification program.

“Members of this national panel work to create testing standards for voting equipment to ensure functionality, accessibility and security so that when constituents cast their ballots, they can easily use the equipment, feel certain their votes are counted and the process is trustworthy,” Landske said. “By certifying equipment, we can increase voter confidence, and as a result, we hope to improve turnout at the polls.”

Landske said the EAC reviewed voter educational materials, registration databases, provisional balloting and registration forms. EAC also serves as a national clearinghouse of information about election administration.

She encouraged local officials and constituents to contact her with any ideas or concerns about the states voting procedures. Call toll-free 1-800-382-9467 or e-mail her at Senator.Landske@iga.in.gov.

Sen. Landske represents Senate District 6, which includes Benton, Lake, Newton and Porter counties.