2023 - Winner for Outstanding Innovations in Elections - Large

Pierce County is Washington's second-largest jurisdiction with over 550,000 registered voters. The county has been voting by mail since 2011, making drop boxes a vital and critical part of the jurisdictions elections. With questions around the security of ballot drop boxes creating concern among some voters, the county consulted with political parties to establish a new drop box observer program in the summer of 2022. Through this initiative, Pierce County Elections partners with observers on election night to monitor the 50 drop boxes located across the county. The drop box observer program helps create accountability by political parties observing and confirming that legal requirements and internal policies are being met.