Haas Nominated for Leadership Position in NASED

MADISON, WI – Michael Haas, interim administrator of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, has been nominated to serve as secretary of the National Association of State Election Directors (NASED) for the 2018-19 term, putting him in line to be the president-elect in 2021 and the president in 2022. He will be included on the slate of officers recommended for formal election at the organization’s Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C. in February.

Haas, 53, has been Wisconsin’s chief elections official since June 30, 2016, and has been the Midwest region representative on NASED’s Executive Board since 2015 when he served as Elections Division Administrator of the Government Accountability Board.

Because of his future leadership positions in NASED, between 2021 to 2024 Haas will serve on the Governmental Coordinating Council (GCC), created by federal, state, and local election officials and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in response to the designation of elections as critical infrastructure. “This will give the State of Wisconsin a direct voice and significant input into the implementation of election security measures and the coordination of communication between federal agencies and state and local election officials related to security risks and threats,” Haas noted.

Judd Choate, Colorado’s election director and current NASED president, said of Haas: “I cannot think of a better election director to guide us through the post-2020 presidential election and the lead-in to the 2022 midterm election, as well as serve on the GCC during these crucial years. Your efforts to coordinate NASED’s understanding of pending federal legislation and in leading Wisconsin and the nation on cybersecurity protection have not gone unnoticed by your peers across the country. … Clearly, your NASED colleagues hold you in the highest esteem.”

Haas has been active in NASED and its initiatives and conferences throughout his employment with the Elections Commission and the former Government Accountability Board. He presented and moderated panels at NASED conferences, coordinated communications with other Midwest Region election directors, and currently serves as the legislative liaison by tracking Congressional activity related to election laws and providing input to Congressional staff regarding legislative proposals.  In June 2017 he represented NASED before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, testifying about states’ efforts to secure election systems after the 2016 Presidential Election.

“I am extremely honored by the confidence my colleagues from around the country have placed in me to assume this leadership role in NASED,” Haas said. “State election directors lead the administration of elections in a fair and nonpartisan manner, and NASED is an important means of sharing ideas, best practices, and updates regarding developments in election laws and processes.  I look forward to the opportunity to continue to provide our unique Wisconsin perspective with other states and federal officials, and to give our State an active role in improving the administration of elections nationwide, especially in the areas of transparency and election security.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.