The EAC would also like to recognize the following jurisdictions for 2024 Clearie Honorable Mention awards.
Communications: Distinguished Voter Education and Communications Initiatives
Small/Medium Jurisdictions
Carson City Clerk-Recorder, Nevada - “I Voted” Success Photo Booth
Carson City, the capital of Nevada, is home to over 41,000 active registered voters. To inspire excitement around voting, the city launched a new initiative during the 2024 general election: the “I Voted” Success Photo Booth. This program encouraged voters to take photos with their “I Voted” stickers alongside family members and loved ones, celebrating their civic participation. The photo booth allowed participants to receive their photos via text or email, making it easy for them to share their experience on social media. Many voters noted the minimal wait times, allowing them to leave the polling location with a smile, carrying a cherished memory they could share with family, friends, and neighbors. For first-time voters, it provided a lasting record of their significant moment.
Hall County Election Commission, Nebraska - Clear Marks Campaign
With a high turnout in the 2024 presidential election, the Hall County Election Commission worked to ensure that all the ballots cast were clear and easy to read for optical scanners. The Hall County Election Commission launched a “clear marks campaign” that encouraged voters to color in the ovals on the paper ballot, as opposed to using an X, a checkmark, or a scribble/partial mark. The Hall County Election Commission’s early voting staff and ballot judges at the polling sites provided each voter with instructions on clear marks using a laminated “clear mark” instruction sheet that demonstrated what a clear mark looks like. The Commission also put the same instruction sheet up in every voting booth. This campaign was well-received by election staff and voters. Only a small number of the ballots cast required review by the resolution board to clarify the voter’s mark, saving time on election night.
Osceola County Supervisor of Elections, Florida - Early Voting Map and Sample Ballot Highlighting Early Voting
The Osceola County Supervisor of Elections designed a colorful sample ballot with a custom map of the County’s early voting locations for the primary so that voters could quickly locate any of the nine early voting locations around the County. The Osceola County Supervisor of Elections wanted something memorable to encourage voters to vote early, alleviating its Election Day load. The office of elections used this same map on its website and social media to capture voters’ attention and encourage them to stop by one of the Early Voting locations and vote early.
Sibley County Auditor-Treasurer’s Office, Minnesota- Sibley County Elections Education Campaign
After the 2020 election, the Sibley County Auditor-Treasurer’s Department found that its voters were confused and questioning the new processes that were implemented. These included e-poll books, new tabulators, new assistive voting devices, and for the first time, Sibley County had mail ballot precincts. By putting information out to voters, the Sibley County Auditor-Treasurer's Office instituted an educational campaign that included social media, online voter information guides, direct mail, and in-person education. The social media posts included an informative Facebook post with an eye-catching graphic nearly every day during the 46-day absentee voting period, on Election Day as well as post-election. The online voter information guide was created to assist first-time voters in navigating through the process. The direct mail consisted of postcards sent with each mail ballot, providing information to voters on how they can ensure their vote is counted. Finally, for the in-person education component, the office was an active part of the local county fair and offered presentations at the Senior Expo and a local school.
Large Jurisdictions
Douglas County Office of Clerk and Recorder, Colorado - Douglas County Elections Student Art Contest
Each Presidential Election, Douglas County Elections facilitates a student art contest in which students from Kindergarten through 12th Grade submit their artwork for the chance to have it professionally displayed at Douglas County, Colorado, Government buildings. In the 2024 Elections Student Art Contest, there were 103 pieces of art submitted digitally from young artists in kindergarten through 12th grade. Overall, 12 Winners and 12 Honorable Mentions were selected to be professionally displayed in Douglas County, Colorado, government buildings.
Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, California - Empowering Voters, One Click at a Time: The Make a Plan to Vote Tool
The Make a Plan to Vote Tool (MAPTV) is an intuitive, user-friendly online resource designed to empower voters by creating a customized voting plan tailored to their preferences and needs. By answering a series of guided questions, users received a personalized plan outlining their preferred voting method, key deadlines, and relevant election information, ensuring they were fully prepared to cast their ballots. To maximize engagement, MAPTV was strategically promoted through digital outreach, media partnerships, and voter education initiatives. The tool saw more than 300,000 visitors, 525,000 total page views, and an impressive 34% completion rate, demonstrating its effectiveness in voter preparedness.
Pierce County Elections, Washington - Signature Solutions: A Direct Voter Education Campaign
The Signature Solutions program addressed recurring voter signature verification issues through direct voter outreach. The Pierce County Elections Office conducted a door-to-door canvassing initiative, educating voters on signature requirements and providing resources to update their information, leading to increased ballot acceptance and participation. The program innovatively combined data analysis with personalized outreach, using door-to-door canvassing—a method more common in voter registration drives—to address signature-curing issues. This approach creatively supplemented traditional outreach (calls, letters, texts) with face-to-face engagement. The program significantly improved voter confidence and ballot acceptance, addressing voter confusion and communication gaps. For election officials, it provided valuable insights into voter behavior and effective outreach methods, helping refine future election communication strategies.
State Level
Arizona Secretary of State - Native Voting Hour
Native Voting Hour is a pioneering initiative designed to empower and educate Native voters in Arizona through a series of monthly webinars. This program is tailored specifically to address the unique needs and challenges faced by Native communities, such as limited employment opportunities, rural housing issues, and restricted internet access. The program includes a 10-session series presented in succinct, digestible episodes, specifically designed for a Native audience. Each session is crafted to provide accurate, vetted information from subject matter experts in an engaging and accessible format. Native Voting Hour convened a diverse group of stakeholders from January to October, reaching 464 contacts. These included Tribal Councils, Native Election Departments, Native News Outlets, Native American Law Organizations, Museums, Recorders, and Election Departments across Arizona. It also included attendees from Arizona Secretary of State Office events, Voter Rights Organizations, and Tribal Intergovernmental Liaisons. With an impressive open email rate, the program has engaged with participants a total of 5,557 times.
New Hampshire Secretary of State - New American Pocket Voter Guide
The Secretary of State’s Office created the New American Pocket Voter Guide in 2023 to empower New Americans getting ready to register to vote and participate in local, state, and federal elections. The guide is organized in chronological order, advising new citizens how to register, how to vote absentee if they qualify, and how to navigate their local polling place. The guide has several QR codes, including one that links to the instructional video, titled “New Americans: Voting in New Hampshire”. The video features interviews with advocates and local election officials, along with several New Americans. The video not only inspires voters but also advises election officials on what they can do to assist New Americans and make the polling place a welcoming place for all. To roll out the effort, the Secretary of State’s Office hosted its own naturalization ceremony for 24 New Americans in its State Archives building.
Security: Innovation and New Tools in Election Security and Technology
Durham County Board of Elections, North Carolina - Election Official Supplemental Security Plan
In addition to the Durham County Board of Elections’ current general emergency response, a comprehensive supplemental security plan was created to focus on the physical security of election officials. This plan encompassed a collection of protocols and procedures based on contingency planning efforts to ensure optimum incident response. The plan’s components include GPS trackers and geofencing, establishing supply return escorts, on-site emergency alert badges, and an emergency ticketing system in partnership with the Durham County Office of Emergency Services.
Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, California - “If You See Something, Say Something: Threat Identification and Prevention System (TIPS)”
“If You See Something, Say Something: Threat Identification and Prevention System (TIPS)” streamlines threat reporting during elections through two components: the Cyber Tip Line and the Insider Threat Form. Various stakeholders at the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk — including election officials, IT staff, and volunteers — must remain vigilant against security threats. The Cyber Tip Line allows the public and employees to report cyber threats anonymously via phone call and voice message. The Insider Threat Form is for the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk workforce members to report internal concerns through a digital questionnaire. Submitted reports are transcribed and sent to a private Microsoft Teams channel for internal review. TIPS provides a quick and confidential way to report threats while preserving anonymity when needed.
Pima County Elections Department, Arizona - Pima County Elections Asset Inventory Management Program
The Pima County Elections Department provided peace of mind for voters, poll workers, and election officials through key advancements by securing the election process via the implementation of the Election Asset and Inventory Management (AIM) system, which greatly enhanced the ability to safeguard election-related equipment and streamline Election Day operations. The County implemented a new geofencing feature to refine its process for scanning and tracking equipment on Election Day. Through this Geographic Information System (GIS)-enabled coordinate tracking, the Department was able to monitor the delivery of more than 1,300 election assets that are physically within 500 feet of their assigned coordinates and verify if equipment was scanned at the correct location. After implementing Election AIM, the office effectively transformed its seal log management into a streamlined digital process that greatly enhanced security and efficiency. Pima County election workers preassigned seals to each piece of equipment and scanned them into AIM, and this innovation ensured that each asset was securely and accurately tracked from start to finish.
Salt Lake County Clerk Election Division, Utah - Prepared to De-Escalate: Safeguarding Election Staff and Voters
In preparation for the 2024 Primary and General Elections, the Salt Lake County Election Office created de-escalation training. This training focused on skills, abilities, and tips helpful to de-escalate and manage tense, conflict, or challenging situations when interacting with members of the public or colleagues while working an election. The scope of the training covered the types of scenarios that are most common and found safer for teams to engage. Resources for reporting and responding to these types of emergency situations were provided along with a breakout session featuring simulation-exercises.
Contingency Planning: Exemplary Contingency Planning and Emergency Response Efforts
Small/Medium Jurisdictions
Dubuque County Elections, Iowa - Election Heroes: Learn how to use NARCAN
Substance misuse is an ongoing public health crisis in the United States; an estimated 20 million people have a substance use disorder related to alcohol or illicit drugs. As part of the National Opioid Settlement, Dubuque County appointed a Public Health Project Coordinator to oversee community response efforts regarding special public health projects, starting with opioid response. In December 2023, all staff members of the Dubuque County Election Office underwent NARCAN training. In preparation for the November general election, the Dubuque County Elections Office collaborated with the local Health Department to provide NARCAN training to the head election chair of each precinct. Prior to commencing election training for the general election, each chair was instructed on how to administer NARCAN, and every precinct was supplied with a box of NARCAN Nasal Spray for use on Election Day. These are lifesaving skills that can be taken with them beyond Election Day. With the anticipated high turnout and long lines, it is valuable to be aware of the large crowds and different medical emergencies that may arise.
Paulding County Elections & Voter Registration, Georgia - Contingency Planning
To help bring awareness to the importance of contingency planning for election day, the Paulding County Elections & Voter Registration Office implemented real-life scenarios into its poll worker training. The office used actors to demonstrate different issues that could happen in real life to see how the poll workers would respond. The Paulding County Elections and Voter Registration Office implemented a safety protocol guide and contingency plan for poll workers. They utilized existing resources from the EAC, the FBI, and the Department of Homeland Security, along with tools from state and local governments, to train and prepare poll workers for emergency situations. The scenarios covered power outages, unattended packages, irate and threatening voters, medical emergencies, and proper credential validation. Poll workers and managers were also trained in CPR, using an AED Device, choking, active shooter drills, inclement weather responses, and administering NARCAN due to exposure to deadly drugs. The training was featured on ABC Nightly News, and poll workers left the training feeling confident in knowing that they could handle any situation that could possibly arise.
Rockingham County Board of Elections, North Carolina - Rockingham County Emergency Response Communications Plan
The Emergency Services Offices in Rockingham County and the Rockingham County Elections Director met with the local Sheriff’s Office, as well as law enforcement, to discuss possible threats during the 2024 general election and how to put measures in place to protect the voters, precinct officials, candidates, and electioneers regarding emergency preparedness. The day before Election Day all the Chief Judges had a meeting at the Emergency Services Building to receive an 800MHz radio that was set to the Events Channel. Training was given to all the Chief Judges on how to use this radio in case of an emergency.
Large Jurisdictions
Fairfax County Office of Elections, Virginia – No Time to Freeze: Empowering Poll Workers with Clear, Accessible Evacuation Guides
Effective emergency response requires quick, decisive action, but unfortunately, humans’ first instinct is generally to freeze instead. This may be especially true for poll workers who work only one or two days a year and have limited opportunities to prepare. Although Fairfax County poll workers are trained in emergency procedures before election day, the Office of Elections recognized that they have limited capacity to retain complex guidance for unlikely situations. To address this, they created “evacuation guides” for every poll worker on election day. These one-page handouts provided clear instructions for each poll worker to follow in the event of a precinct evacuation. Notably, the guides were tailored to each station in the polling place (greeter, check-in, ballot table, and so on), allowing the Fairfax County Office of Elections to distill the instructions to only the pertinent steps for each role that involved only the materials directly in front of them. The guides were printed on the back side of the station-specific handouts that poll workers were already using throughout the day.
Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, California – “Voting Never Stops” Pop-Up Vote Centers
Los Angeles, known for “pop-up” restaurants, shops, and even museums, can now add Pop-Up Vote Centers to that list. As part of the Mobile Voting Program, the LA County Registrar’s office established Pop-Up Vote Centers as contingency assets. In the event there is an emergency at a vote center and the vote center must close or temporarily shut down (e.g., a power outage, pipe burst, or leaky roof), a pop-up vote center will be deployed. The pop-up vote center would be set up directly at the vote center location, either in the parking lot or any open outside area. These voting centers are completely self-reliant. They operate with the same voting equipment and offer the same services found at traditional vote centers. In addition to ballot marking devices (BMDs), electronic poll books (EPBs), and a vote by mail (VBM) ballot receptacle, they travel with a portable generator for power, a router for data connectivity, and a 10'x20' canopy to house all equipment. Election workers staffing the Pop-Up Vote Centers receive the same training as workers assigned to traditional centers.
South Carolina State Election Commission, Election Worker Emergency Response Guide Card
Poll clerks and managers are placed in a tough position on election day, where anything that goes wrong can impact voters and the election as a whole. With that in mind, the South Carolina Election Commission created a crisis response card that is a quick reference guide for what to do in a number of situations, from a power outage to a cybersecurity attack. This guide is a handout during training classes for all poll clerks and managers.
Washington Office of the Secretary of State - Government Operations and Key Infrastructure Toolkits (GO-KITs)
The Government Operations and Key Infrastructure Toolkit (GO-KIT) is a proactive cybersecurity solution designed to help Washington State County Election Offices swiftly and securely restore critical election operations in the event of a cyber incident. By establishing a logically separated, trusted network, the GO-KIT ensures continued access to essential election systems, even if a county’s primary network is compromised. Developed by the Washington Office of the Secretary of State’s Information Security and Response Division (ISR), the GO-KIT was created in response to real-world cyber threats, including a 2023 ransomware attack that disrupted a county’s election operations. The solution prioritizes rapid deployment, affordability, and ease of use, particularly for counties with limited IT resources. ISR maintains six fully operational GO-KITs that can be deployed statewide, while counties can also procure their own kits using election security funding provided by the Office of the Secretary of State. The initiative has been widely adopted and continues to strengthen Washington’s election security, ensuring resilience against evolving cyber threats and reinforcing public confidence in the electoral process.
Election Administration: Innovations or New Practices in Election Administration
Small/Medium Jurisdictions
Georgetown County Voter Registration & Elections, South Carolina – Streamlining the Tabulation Process
To increase transparency and voter confidence, the Georgetown County Voter Registration & Elections department created a way to streamline the tabulation process that is secure and suitable for the public to witness the election night reporting process. The installation of a permissible camera and surveillance system allowed the public to feel involved and be presented with the capability to watch the process. As a result, viewers in the lobby area were able to watch the process in real time as precincts arrived to report results. The surveillance cameras allowed the public to witness the election night reporting processes and improved election administration by providing transparency in the overall conduct of elections.
Gibson County Clerk, Indiana – Gibson County Election Learning Lab
The Gibson County Election Learning Lab is a hands-on experience for both poll workers and voters. The lab is set up as a mock precinct, like what a voter or poll worker would see on Election Day at their polling location. Each participant has a chance to check in on the electronic poll pad, obtain a paper ballot, or choose the Verity Touch Writer, which is an ADA ballot marking device. Once voters have marked their ballot, it is cast on the Verity Scan election system. This process allowed poll workers to gain more knowledge and experience for their Election Day responsibilities. In the Learning Lab, poll workers can train from setup to teardown, allowing them to familiarize themselves with the poll pads and voting systems, experience real-life scenarios that occur on Election Day, and overall increase their confidence. For the voters, this hands-on experience enables voters to become comfortable with voting and opens the door to increase their confidence as they choose to vote on Election Day. It allows the residents of the community to ask questions and learn how voting systems work, creating transparency within the County.
Large Jurisdictions
Fairfax County Office of Elections, Virginia - Don't Overlook It — Overlay It! The Simple Solution That Ensures Every Provisional Vote Can Count
In Virginia, provisional voters must complete multiple fields on a complicated and busy provisional envelope, with seven required fields interspersed between many optional ones. Failure to complete any required field invalidates the entire envelope, preventing the ballot from being counted. This common human error creates an avoidable barrier to voting, leading to voter frustration and an administrative burden on election officials. To address these mistakes, the Fairfax County Office of Elections developed plastic overlays that match the envelopes with cutouts over only the required fields. By placing the overlay on top of the envelope, missing fields are immediately visible, allowing voters to correct errors before submission. This simple tool allows poll workers to instantly verify whether a voter has completed all necessary fields. The Fairfax County Office of Elections worked with a local print vendor to design and manufacture these overlays from durable polystyrene plastic, with each overlay being precisely die-cut. This makes for an easy-to-use product that can be reused in each election. This low-cost solution has already led to significantly higher envelope completion rates, reduced administrative workload, and greater voter confidence in the provisional voting process.
Fairfax County Office of Elections, Virginia - The Best of Both Worlds: A Digital Helper for Paper Forms
The Fairfax County Office of Elections addressed how to help poll workers complete a complex, math-heavy form at the end of a 16-hour day. In Virginia, poll workers must complete a Statement of Results (SOR), a complex form that requires recording numbers from many sources and doing lots of math to account for every ballot. Mistakes are common, especially with manual calculations. The Fairfax County Office of Elections created two tools to make this form easier: The Closing Numbers Worksheet, which is comprised of a simple form where poll workers record all required numbers in one place, eliminating the need to pass multiple forms around. Also, the SOR Helper was developed to serve as an online form preloaded on each precinct’s iPad that the Chief uses to input those numbers. The Fairfax County Office of Elections used a free online tool called Fillout. This tool calculates and exports everything into a digital PDF that looks exactly like the paper SOR form, making it easy for poll workers to copy onto their official paperwork. With these tools, poll workers no longer scramble to track down numbers or second-guess their math. This resulted in fewer mistakes, a smoother closing, and much less stress at the end of election day.
Maricopa County Elections, Arizona - Adjudication Training Manual
Maricopa County is the largest County in Arizona and accounts for 62% of the state’s voting population. When preparing for the 2024 general election, Maricopa County expected high turnout and was faced with one of the longest ballots in the County’s history. Maricopa County has, on average, over 80 contests per ballot and expects more ballots than ever will require adjudication. As adjudication is the final step before results can be reported, staff wanted to ensure that results were not held up by this process. To improve speed and be proactive, Maricopa County nearly doubled the number of adjudication stations, staffing them with over 140 adjudication workers. The County also developed a first-ever Adjudication Manual to provide clear, consistent guidance to the adjudicators, reinforcing accuracy in the process. The Adjudication Manual is designed to present technical adjudication information in a clear, easy-to-read format. It includes diagrams, screenshots, example forms, FAQs, and a comprehensive concordance index.
Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Office, Florida - Voter Ready Election Day Phone App
The Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Office developed a mobile application suite to enhance real-time communication and operational efficiency for Election Workers at polling locations. The Election Worker Phone Application transformed how Election Workers interact with the Elections Office, while improving Election Day readiness and operations. This program provides a reliable, secure, and scalable solution for Election Day management and has significantly reduced the strain on Elections Office call centers, decreasing Election Day call volume by hundreds. The direct result allowed resources to be allocated more effectively and improved workflow by allowing Election Workers to allocate their time efficiently.
Salt Lake County Clerk Election Division, Utah - Taking Two Cards and Making One Seamless Ballot Count
In the 2024 general election, Salt Lake County Elections implemented a color-coded system to manage its first-ever two-card ballot. Each ballot card was labeled with a blue “1 of 2” or orange “2 of 2” box to help voters identify complete ballots. The Agilis mail sorter was used to prescreen ballot packets for irregularities, such as missing or extra cards, while it was simultaneously completing the existing signature verification process. The color-coding also allowed staff to quickly isolate instances where voters accidentally returned two Card 1s or two Card 2s, often due to filling out ballots alongside others in the same household. This enabled staff to match and count cards accurately by precinct and ballot number, ensuring that all valid votes were counted. These practices improved ballot verification and processing efficiency with minimal cost.
State Level
Missouri Secretary of State - Petition Management System
The Missouri Secretary of State’s Office migrated a paper-based initiative process to a new web-based Petition Management System, making for significant savings in state and local resources. The software was uniquely developed by employees of the SOS Information Technology Division in close consultation with the Elections Division. The Petition Management System made the petition process more transparent to the public and streamlined processing. In addition to saving valuable time and speeding up processes, the Petition Management System also eliminated the need to hire temporary or less-seasoned staff to process this information.
Pennsylvania Department of State - Redesigned Mail Ballot Materials
In late 2023 and early 2024, the Pennsylvania Department of State redesigned the mail ballot return envelopes to help voters ensure they correctly complete their mail ballot packet before returning it so their vote can be counted. The redesigned envelopes and instruction sheet, which feature revised language to better inform voters how to properly fill out and return their mail ballots, helped lead to a 57% decrease in rejected mail ballots between the April 2024 primary and the November 2024 general election.
HAVA Grants: Outstanding Use of HAVA Grants in Elections Modernization
Jefferson County Clerk & Recorder, Colorado - Ballot Box Transformation: Enhancing Security, Clarity, and Accessibility
Ensuring secure and accessible ballot return options is crucial for voter confidence and election integrity. The Jefferson County Clerk & Recorder’s office used HAVA grant funding to modernize 40 ballot drop boxes, improving security, visibility, and accessibility. The previous boxes were cluttered with outdated stickers, featured an old .com URL instead of a more secure .gov URL, and were difficult to spot in winter conditions. The new design includes a durable vinyl wrap, a high-visibility orange band, bilingual messaging, clear security information, and updated URLs. This initiative has enhanced security, ensured compliance with evolving election laws, and made it easier for voters to return their ballots confidently.
King County Elections, Washington - Building Resiliency with an Alternate Fiber Route
The King County Elections Office added an alternate network routed fiber strand in 2024. Funded by HAVA Security Grant dollars, the additional fiber strand provides a secure, alternative routed connection, making the King County Elections Office prepared and able to serve voters if its first connection slows or stalls, whether due to a weather-related event, a human-caused event, or simple maintenance. This additional fiber strand does not traverse or cross any of the King County Elections Office primary networks and enters the building on the opposite side of primary routes to ensure maximum protection in case of an emergency. The King County Elections Office relies on consistent internet access via a secured network. From maintaining voter records and updating the election management system, to communicating with voters, most of the County’s Elections Office tasks require secure access to the internet. Particularly sensitive systems like the election management system can only be accessed through the secure, trusted network, making it extra critical to ensure a fast and functioning connection.
Accessibility: Best Practices for Improving Accessibility for Voters with Disabilities
Boone County Clerk, Missouri - Elections Information in ASL - Continuing the Outreach
As the November 2024 election approached, the Boone County Clerk’s Office focused on ramping up voter education efforts across the County. When a voter came into the office with questions about the ballot and a request for information specifically for the Deaf community, Boone County worked with a local interpreting service to create a consecutively translated American Sign Language explainer on important information about how and where to vote and what was needed to cast a ballot. The explainer was shared across social media platforms and reached hundreds of voters.
Thurston County Auditor’s Office, Washington – Expanding Access: Public Transit Partnerships for Accessible Elections
The Thurston County Auditor’s Elections Division partnered with Intercity Transit to improve voter and staff access to election facilities. For Election Day, they worked with Intercity Transit to extend the final bus stop at the Voting Center past 8 p.m., ensuring voters relying on public transit had full access to receive voter services, like replacement ballots or accessibility voting. The office also enhanced accessibility at the bus stop by adding gravel for a smooth ADA transition. Additionally, they utilized Intercity Transit’s Community Vans Program to transport election staff to the Ballot Processing Center and Voting Center, reducing parking congestion and cutting transportation costs by half compared to county carpool options. Intercity Transit also updated its route maps to highlight ballot drop boxes and voting centers, making it easier for voters to plan their trips. This collaboration increased accessibility, improved efficiency, and demonstrated a strong partnership in service to voters.
Poll Workers: Best Practices in Recruiting, Retaining, and Training Poll Workers
Small/Medium Jurisdictions
Muscogee County Elections and Registration Office, Georgia - Poll Worker Innovation Tank
The Muscogee County Elections and Registration Office empowered poll workers to provide innovations in processes and procedures. Successful processes and procedures were approved and implemented by the Muscogee County Elections and Registration Office. Each poll worker received a notice of recognition from the governing body. The poll worker in this case provided feedback on the partitions separating voting equipment at the polling location because the partitions provided by the state were cumbersome and difficult to use and secure. The poll worker drew a new partition with recommendations on improvements. Velcro secures the sides and top of the partition and allows for the posting of mandated notices and instructions. The innovation was implemented countywide, and a local vendor was used to provide the partitions.
Vigo County Clerk’s Office, Indiana - Poll Worker Training and Uniformity
The Vigo County Clerk’s Office created video training sessions and video tutorials with corresponding training packets regarding poll worker training concepts. This helped to ensure that general information was always presented in the same way to each class, while also hitting all the different learning styles. The Vigo County Clerk’s Office training sessions helped to alleviate the problem of having multiple training classes in one day or for multiple weeks, which can be mentally and physically exhausting. The Vigo County Clerk’s Office training sessions and video tutorials also made it easy to explain concepts in multiple ways while minimizing misinterpretation of information.
Large Jurisdictions
Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, California - Election Worker Recruitment/Retention Videos
To increase county employee and student election worker participation, the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk developed a series of engaging recruitment videos for both the County Employee and High School Election Worker Programs. These videos highlight the importance of participating in the democratic process, while also giving an overview of the responsibilities and benefits of each program. To help ease anxiety about performing vote center duties, the videos feature testimonials from past election workers who share their experiences and explain how fulfilling it was to serve their community. Furthermore, to streamline the training signup process for election workers, the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk also created a step-by-step instructional video to guide election workers through the registration process, making it more accessible and reducing any concerns about the signup procedure. By providing clear and concise instructions, these videos help election workers feel empowered to navigate the process independently, reducing the need for further assistance and ensuring that the registration experience is as smooth as possible.
“I Voted” Stickers: Creative and Original “I Voted” Stickers
Small/Medium Jurisdictions
Doña Ana County Clerk’s Office, New Mexico - 2024 “I Voted” Sticker Contest
Every year, the Doña Ana County Clerk's office has a contest allowing county Employees to design the next “I Voted Sticker.” After entries are collected, staff members from the County get to vote on their favorite. The winner for the contest was an election official coordinator, Karen Hernandez, who also designed a “future voter” sticker including a “superpower” theme to hand out to children who went to a voting location with their parents.
Tazewell County Clerk & Recorder of Deeds, Illinois - Pekin Bicentennial “I Voted” Sticker
In discussions with the City of Pekin's Bicentennial Committee, the Tazwell County Clerk & Recorder of Deeds offered to make the "“I Voted” Stickers for Tazewell County for the 2024 Presidential Election and include the Pekin Bicentennial Logo. It should be noted that the flower on the Bicentennial Logo is a marigold, in recognition of Pekin’s own historic United States Senator Everett Dirksen. The Tazwell County Clerk & Recorder of Deeds also developed a series of upcoming Community Bicentennial Stickers as one community after another celebrates the bicentennial, and developed and printed a "“Tazewell County Bicentennial ‘I Voted’ Sticker Booklet” which, in addition to offering a spot to save their "I Voted" Sticker, contains historical information about each of the communities and the future dates of each of the upcoming new stickers. What started as a simple one-time step to join a community celebration is now a series of community celebrations from 2024 to 2041.
Union County Board of Elections, North Carolina - “I Voted” Sticker
To foster community involvement and civic participation, Union County Board of Elections invited students in grades 6 through 12 to create an original design for an “I Voted” Sticker Contest. Although most students were not old enough to register and vote in the general election, the contest opened discussion in classrooms and provided an opportunity to be civically engaged in the election process. The Board of Elections received entries from public, private and home-schooled students throughout the county. The top 12 designs were chosen by staff, and residents were then asked to vote for their favorite. Voting links were placed on websites and social media. Paper ballots were available for those who preferred to vote in person. Residents of all ages and political ideologies participated by voting for their first choice. Stickers with the winning design were given to voters during early voting and on election day. The contest was viewed by the community as a positive, nonpartisan element of the election season. After casting their ballot at the polls, residents shared photos with their stickers on social media and encouraged others to vote. The stickers can still be spotted on water bottles, laptops, and even windows of vehicles.
Large Jurisdictions
Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections, Florida - 2024 Vote Hillsborough “I Voted” Sticker Contest
For most voters, the “I Voted” sticker is an important symbol of their participation in the democratic process. Every election cycle, the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections encounters many voters wearing those stickers from the moment they cast their ballot through the entire day. The Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections invites students to create new sticker designs. During even years, high school students are asked to design an “I Voted” sticker, and during odd years, elementary and middle school students are asked to design a “Future Voter” sticker. Each year, the winners are recognized at a School Board meeting. Voters appreciate that local students design the sticker. Once the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections receives entries, the staff and partners vote for the sticker they like the best. In 2024, the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections had an exemplary entry from Aurora Gomez Garcia of King High School, who said, “I wanted something unique that represents Florida’s thriving life and its values during the time where we can best express them.”
Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office, Louisiana - Mark D’Ballot
Since 2016, the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office has partnered with renowned Louisiana artists to create one-of-a-kind “I Voted” stickers each year that highlight the State’s rich culture and patriotic spirit. In previous years, the office has highlighted works by George Rodrigue and Becky Fos to create stickers that voters from all walks of life cherish. In 2024, Secretary of State Nancy Landry enlisted Academy and Emmy Award-winning illustrator William Joyce. Mr. Joyce is a Shreveport, Louisiana native responsible for animating films and television shows such as Toy Story, A Bug’s Life, Meet the Robinsons, and Rolie Polie Olie. The sticker features a dapper crawfish named Mark D’Ballot wearing a top hat with tails and spats. About designing the sticker, Mr. Joyce said: “While making it, I thought about how it feels to vote. For me, it feels fantastic, like I matter, like I make a difference.” Mr. Joyce’s design was animated and has been used in advertisements and promotions by the Department of State to improve voter participation. Just as in years past, the 2024 “I Voted” sticker is uniquely Louisiana and received acclaim from voters across the state and nation.
Office of the Idaho Secretary of State, Idaho - “My Hooman Voted” Sticker
The “My Hooman Voted” sticker campaign took civic engagement to the next level with help from pictures of pets. Designed for dog and cat lovers alike, these stickers let proud pet owners show off their commitment to democracy in a way that was both shareable and smile-inducing. This campaign gave voters one more reason to celebrate their trip to the polls. Furthermore, the corresponding social media campaign featuring a video of the Idaho Secretary of State’s own personal pets promoting voting was a big hit.
Prince William County Office of Elections, Virginia - Four Years, Five Stickers (“I Voted” Stickers)
Prince William County conducted the most participatory “I Voted” sticker contest in state history, which garnered positive media coverage, a record number of entries, and gave citizens a rotation of widely representative stickers for each of the next four years. More than 600 submissions were received after substantial regional media coverage, and more than half of the entries were from students. To determine the final winners, more than 700 election officers voted using rank-choice voting. The results revealed four top candidates that together were an exemplary representation of all aspects of the history, people, and places of Prince William County. It was decided that all four stickers would be used in a rotation for the next four years. One additional design, submitted by a county student, was also chosen to represent “Future Voters.”
Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections, Florida - Our Community, Captured in One Sticker
The winning submission from a talented Sarasota County ninth grader for the Supervisor of Elections “I Voted” sticker competition included warm sun, sandy beaches, and an alligator wearing sunglasses and a Fedora. Beginning in October 2023, the elections office invited Sarasota County middle and high school students to design an “I Voted” sticker that was patriotic, inspiring and fun. The response from teachers and students was overwhelmingly positive, with more than 350 entries received from 14 schools. The designs ranged from whimsical to patriotic and just about everything in between. The winning design featured an alligator floating in a red, white, and blue inner tube, holding an ice-cold drink and enjoying a beautiful day at the beach. The scene is quintessential Sarasota County and, of course, includes the iconic words “I Voted.” The playful design was used as the official Sarasota County “I Voted” sticker of the 2024 general election and worn proudly by tens of thousands of voters.