Standards

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Designating Authority

Primary definition

Body established within government or empowered by government to designate conformity assessment bodies, suspend or withdraw their designation or remove their suspension from designation

Also known asdesignating body · designation authority · accrediting authority · certification authority · DA
1 sources cited4 related termsReviewed Aug 10, 2026
NIST Election GlossaryView source
People also ask

What is designating authority?

The term Designating Authority refers to an official authority that designates, approves, assigns, or recognizes responsibilities, security roles, systems, or other controlled functions under a governing policy. It gives election, security, legal, or technical readers a specific label for the concept rather than a broader everyday meaning.

How is designating authority used in security planning?

The term Designating Authority is used according to its defined context: an official authority that designates, approves, assigns, or recognizes responsibilities, security roles, systems, or other controlled functions under a governing policy. The surrounding election procedure, policy, system specification, or legal source determines who applies it, when it is used, and what operational effect it has.

Why does designating authority matter for resilience?

Understanding Designating Authority matters because the concept can affect election administration, voter participation, legal decisions, or resilience. In this context, it refers to an official authority that designates, approves, assigns, or recognizes responsibilities, security roles, systems, or other controlled functions under a governing policy.

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NIST

Body established within government or empowered by government to designate conformity assessment bodies, suspend or withdraw their designation or remove their suspension from designation

NIST Election Glossary · 2024

Cite this term

Permanent URL · stable across revisions
Election Security Glossary. (2026). Designating Authority. In Election Security Glossary. Retrieved August 21, 2026, from https://electionsecurityglossary.com/glossary/designating-authority

Sources

1 cited · last checked Aug 10, 2026

01

NIST Election Glossary
NIST Election Glossary

Single-source

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