Certificate in Election Administration, Technology and Security (CEATS)
In 2018, VSTOP launched the Certificate in Election Administration, Technology, and Security (CEATS) Program to become available to state, local, and federal election officials and administrators in the 92 counties of Indiana. The year-long certificate program educates participants on a wide variety of topics in all aspects of elections. Some of these topics include human resources, poll worker training, election and procedural law, information technology, and cybersecurity. The mission of CEATS is to professionalize election administration by educating current and future leaders in elections on fundamental concepts, knowledge, and field techniques required of election administrators. By providing quality education to Indiana Election Administrators, VSTOP and the state of Indiana’s vision is to empower CEATS participants to identify and solve problems, promote election integrity within the communities they serve, and improve overall confidence in elections.
Participants of the program are offered unique hands-on training in managing voting systems and electronic poll books. Several partners including the Indiana Secretary of State’s Office, Indiana Election Division, election system vendors, Voting System Testing Labs (VSTLs), US Election Assistance Commission (EAC), and other experts in the election field, are invited as guest speakers to provide presentations and conduct workshops. CEATS fosters an environment where participants can exchange best practices, promote innovation, and build vital connections with other professionals in the field to improve the efficiency of elections.
Since the origination of The Certificate in Election Administration, Technology, and Security Program, it was awarded the 2021 Clearinghouse Award winner for “Outstanding Innovations in Elections—Large Jurisdictions” from the US Election Assistance Commission.
Mission
The mission of the Certificate Program in Election Administration, Technology, and Security (CEATS) is to professionalize election administration by educating current and future leaders in elections on the fundamental concepts, knowledge, and field techniques required of election administrators.
Vision
By providing quality education to Indiana election administrators, our vision is to empower CEATS participants to identify problems, influence change within the communities they serve, and improve overall confidence in elections.
Professional Competencies
By the end of the program, participants will develop professional competencies in the following areas:
- Preparing for and Managing Elections
- Understanding Implications of Election Laws
- Proficiency in and Understanding of Operations of Election Technology
- Managing, Training, and Assessing Election Personnel
- Ensuring Election Integrity
- Creating Public Value
- Integrating Professional Communication
- Implementing Practices to Improve Election Administration