Two of Arizona's seasoned election officials have been named to the crucial National Standards Board for Election Administration, responsible for guiding the country toward unified and efficient election standards. Eslir Musta, with a career steeped in government service since 2006, currently juggles his responsibilities as Coconino County's Election Director and Assistant County Manager, a role he assumed in October 2021, according to a Coconino County announcement. His academic pursuits in public administration at Northern Arizona University, which now include an Elections Administration Official Certificate in collaboration with the Secretary of State’s Office, underline his commitment to robust election systems.
Alongside Musta, Tonia A. Tunnell brings her profound three decades of public leadership to the board, her focus sharpening over two decades on matters of election integrity and a career spanning voter registration and complex project management Tunnell's mastery in regulatory affairs and system reforms is well-recognized, and her current post as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State has her overseeing integral elements of the state's electoral process. The Standards Board, a 110-member entity established by the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), has the pivotal task of guiding the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) in modernizing voting technology and policy-making, informed by the board's diverse perspectives from each state and five U.S. territories.
The EAC depends on this board, which includes 55 state and local election officials each, to navigate the myriad challenges of contemporary voting, a task that involves periodic reviews of the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG). Their remit spans advisory functions, helping the EAC determine the direction of new initiatives and the development of best practices in an increasingly complex electoral landscape as outlined by Coconino County's press release. The presence of Musta and Tunnell on the 2025 EAC Standards Board Roster promises an insightful contribution shaped by their extensive expertise from the Grand Canyon state.
