About
The purpose of the Association of Election Security Professionals is to strengthen the integrity of American elections. The association was founded in 2020 in order to provide civil society with access to top election security experts for the dissemination of valid recommendations.
Story
Americans found out that the integrity of our elections were under attack by a well-resourced and committed attacker in the reported findings of the Report On The Investigation Into Russian Interference In The 2016 Presidential Election, commonly known as the Mueller Report. The bipartisan Report of the Select Committee On Intelligence confirmed it.
As a community of election security experts, we always knew US elections were under threat of attack. With the world’s most powerful military and largest economy, US election outcomes are a very high-value target.
Since 2016, we saw how lay commentators featured in the media frequently spoke to issues of election security without a deep understanding of the issues that our election systems face. They neither understood the threats, nor the secure counter-measures that we can take. We saw how our voices are needed in the nation’s civic discourse, and we answered the call.
It is our mission to provide accurate information about election security to those who need it most.
Plans
- 2020: We are providing our voices to the national discourse by making ourselves available to journalists.
- 2021: We plan to develop a certification for election auditors, who will then be able to conduct audits using best practices and statistically valid auditing methods.
Leadership
Eric Lazarus: CEO and Co-Founder
Eric founded the Association of Election Security Professionals in order to strengthen the integrity of American elections.
He is a software developer and software development manager who consults to large companies, including Verizon Wireless, IBM, JPMorgan Chase and many others. Eric worked with Philip Stark and others to develop a style of auditing, known as SOBA, which is highly transparent and participative.
Lionel Church: COO and Co-Founder
Lionel is the visionary behind the Association of Election Security Professionals. Finding the absence of an existing trade association for election security professionals, he saw the need to form ElectionSec and led the founding process.
Lionel is a social entrepreneur who launches and grows for-profit and non-profit companies in accordance with the Go Gratis principles of social responsibility and environmental sustainability.
Team
Laird Popkin: Director of Strategy
Laird has held the position of Chief Technology Officer at more than six companies, including several Hearst-owned companies, and Director of Digital Technology for Warner Music. Founding member of the Open Voting Consortium, an election integrity advocate for more than a decade.
Bella Lopez: Video Designer
Ms. Lopez leads video post production and graphic design.