Certificate in Election Administration, Technology, and Security (CEATS)
Cohort 8 Session Calendar
2026-2027
The topics listed are subject to change. The dates are final unless otherwise changed by the program administrators.
All in-person sessions will be held at Ball State University’s Oakwood Building, Room 113. 2501 N Oakwood Ave, Muncie, IN 47304
Phase I Sessions (all on Mondays)
| Session | Date | Type | Topic |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-1 | June 3, 2026 | On-Site, In-Person | Election Administration, Technology, and Security: An Overview |
| I-2 | June 22, 2026 | Online, Asynchronous | Elections in the United States and Indiana – History and Current Landscape |
| I-3 | July 6, 2026 | Online, Asynchronous | Information Technology and Elections |
| I-4 | July 20, 2025 | On-Site, In-Person | Introduction to Operations of Electronic Poll Books (ePBs) |
| I-5 | August 10, 2026 | Online, Asynchronous | Election Integrity |
| I-6 | August 24, 2026 | On-Site, In-Person | Introduction to the Operations of Voting Systems |
| I-7 | September 21, 2026 | Online, Asynchronous | Preparing for and Managing Elections: Effectiveness and Efficiency |
| Phase I Report | October 25, 2026 | Online, Asynchronous | At the end of Phase I, participants will be required to submit a report detailing the topics learned from the above sessions. |
Phase II Sessions (all on Mondays)
| Session | Date | Type | Topic |
|---|---|---|---|
| II-1 | October 5, 2026 | Online, Asynchronous | Testing and Certification for Voting Systems and Electronic Poll Books |
| II-2 | October 19, 2026 | On-Site, In-Person | Workshop I – Operations, Troubleshooting and Security for Electronic Poll Books and DRE Voting Systems |
| II-3 | November 16, 2026 | Online, Asynchronous | Election Day Reporting |
| II-4 | November 30, 2026 | Online, Asynchronous | Cybersecurity and Physical Security of Elections and Election Equipment |
| II-5 | December 7, 2026 | On-Site, In-Person | Workshop II – Operations, Troubleshooting and Security for Electronic Poll Books and OpScan Voting Systems |
| II-6 | December 14, 2026 | Online, Asynchronous | Election Personnel Training, Management, and Learning Assessment |
| II-7 | January 25, 2027 | On-Site, In-Person | Audits and Recounts |
| Phase II Report | February 28, 2027 | Online, Asynchronous | At the end of Phase II, participants will be required to submit a report detailing the topics learned from the above sessions. |
Phase III Capstone Project
Participants will be planning and discussing their Capstone Projects with the Co-Directors throughout the duration of Phase I. Due dates for the Capstone process are below.
| Date Due | Assignment |
|---|---|
| August 23, 2026 | Capstone Project Cover Sheet due |
| August 23, 2026 | Capstone Project Proposal due (first draft) |
| September 25, 2026 | Proposal feedback for revisions provided |
| October 25, 2026 | Capstone Project Proposal due (revised draft) |
| November 22, 2026 | Capstone Projects Monthly Updates Begin |
| November 22, 2026 | Capstone Project Monthly Update #1 due |
| December 13, 2026 | Capstone Project Monthly Update #2 due |
| January 10, 2027 | Capstone Project Monthly Update #3 due |
| February 7, 2027 | Capstone Project Weekly Update #4 due |
| February 21, 2027 | Capstone Project Final Report due (first draft) |
| March 21, 2027 | Final Report feedback for revisions provided |
| April 18, 2027 | Capstone Project Final Report due (revised draft) |
| April 18, 2027 | Capstone Project Poster Outline due (first draft) |
| April 23, 2027 | Poster Outline feedback for revisions provided |
| May 16, 2027 | Presentations of Capstone Projects and Graduation (In-Person) |
| June 2027 (tentative) | Cohort 9 Phase I, Session 1 Begins |