U.S. Election Assistance Commission National Award Commemorates Best Practices in Election Administration

Silver Spring, Md. – The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) today announced that the Washington Secretary of State’s office won a national competition recognizing best practices in election administration. The Washington Secretary of State’s office was selected for its work to make the voting process more accessible for voters with disabilities. Born of the commission’s mandate to serve as a national clearinghouse of information on election administration, the annual “Clearie” awards recognize outstanding innovations in election administration that can serve as examples to other officials and jurisdictions.

“These awards celebrate the very best in election practices across the nation,” said EAC Chairman Matthew Masterson. “As we travel throughout the country, our commission sees first-hand the innovation and commitment to excellence that election officials and their partners bring to their work. These awards acknowledge that work and highlight best practices that other election administrations can emulate.”

The Washington Secretary of State’s office was chosen to receive a Clearie after the 2016 redesign of their voter information portal, MyVote. MyVote gives voters information, including registration details, contact information for their elected officials, an online voter guide, location of ballot drop boxes and voting centers, and their ballot status. Working with the Statewide Disability Advisory Committee and other stakeholders, the Secretary of State’s office created a new and improved voter tool that was more accessible and easy to use for all voters across the state, specifically voters with disabilities.

MyVote received nearly two million views after it was launched and supported a record number of online voter registrations submitted (27,601) on a single day in Washington. The new portal also received positive feedback from the accessibility community and there were no reported accessibility issues.

More than 35 million Americans with disabilities – roughly one-sixth of the total electorate – are eligible to vote in the United States. This accounts for a broad range of disabilities, including mobility, communicative, physical and cognitive impairments. This ever-growing population of voters also faces educational, cultural and political barriers that can make participating in elections difficult. The EAC has a strong commitment to working with both election officials and voters with disabilities to ensure that the election process, polling places and voting service are accessible.

For more information about the “Clearies” or to speak with Chairman Masterson, please contact Brenda Bowser Soder at [email protected] or 202-897-9285.

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The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) was established by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA). It is an independent, bipartisan commission charged with ensuring secure, accurate and accessible elections by developing guidance to meet HAVA requirements, adopting voluntary voting system guidelines, and serving as a national clearinghouse of information on election administration. EAC also accredits testing laboratories and certifies voting systems, as well as administers the use of HAVA funds. For more information, visit www.eac.gov.