Q&A session on the use of the election security funds administered by the @EACgov just finished up. Here are some points addressed. Most are probably obvious, but you never know...
There's an FAQ on the use of the funds here: eac.gov/faq/default.as…
There are some things the money CAN'T be used for: voter registration drives, ballot purchases; get-out-the-vote efforts. Systems that support these efforts, ESPECIALLY the security hardening of voter registration systems, can be supported.
The money must be used for new things. Just shifting the support of ongoing efforts from one place to the other will probably get close scrutiny. ("Close scrutiny" doesn't sound like a good thing.)
The EAC will not "approve" the spending plans the states produce. The EAC will make sure the plans are allowable under the law. The plans will be made public --- it's part of the confidence-building process with the public.
The point of the funds is to make a difference in the 2018 and 2020 elections. If there is a lot of money left unspent, this will be impossible to explain to Congress.
