FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 23, 2023
U.S. Election Assistance Commission Announces Winners of 7th Annual Clearinghouse Awards
WASHINGTON, DC— Today, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) announced the 24 winners of the Clearinghouse Awards, recognizing best practices in election administration. Also known as the “Clearies,” the awards program celebrates the hard work of election offices across the country for programs that took place during the 2022 midterms. Awardees include jurisdictions of varying sizes, from states with 6.5 million registered voters to counties with about 80,000 registered voters.
“The spotlight on U.S. elections has never been brighter, and the EAC is pleased to honor the work of these offices to make elections more secure, technologically advanced, and accessible to voters,” said EAC Chairwoman Christy McCormick, Vice Chair Ben Hovland, Commissioner Donald Palmer, and Commissioner Thomas Hicks in a joint statement. “Especially as election administrators prepare for the 2024 presidential election, we encourage them to review the great work of these Clearie Award-winning jurisdictions for ideas they may want to replicate in their communities. This includes best practices to recruit and train poll workers, which we recognize has been challenging for many election offices nationwide.”
The Clearies play an essential role in fulfilling the EAC’s mission to serve as a clearinghouse for election administration information under the Help America Vote Act. Submissions were judged on innovation, sustainability, outreach, cost-effectiveness, replicability, and the generation of positive results. This year’s award categories and winners include:
Outstanding Use of HAVA Grants in Elections Modernization
- Maricopa County Elections Department (AZ) – Ballot Tabulation Center Security Upgrades
- New Jersey Secretary of State's Office Elections Division – HAVA Funds & Election Security
Outstanding Election Official State Association Program or Local Office
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Seminole County Supervisor of Elections Office (FL) – Informing Voters with Facebook Voting Alerts
Outstanding Innovation in Election Cybersecurity and Technology
- Anne Arundel County Board of Elections (MD) – Mail-in Ballot Sorting, Scanning, and Timestamping Project
- Iowa Secretary of State – Vulnerability Disclosure and Bug Bounty program
Improving Accessibility for Voters with Disabilities
- Dubuque County Auditor's Office (IA) – Strategic Partnership with Dubuque County Disabilities Council
- Franklin County Board of Elections (OH) – Voting with Ease: Increased Accessibility in the Early Vote Center
Outstanding Innovations in Elections – Large Jurisdictions
- Duval County Supervisor of Elections Office (FL) – Innovative Strategies in Voter Education Messaging and Poll Worker Recruitment
- Hamilton County Board of Elections (OH) – Behind the Ballot Tours
- Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections (FL) – Election Night Unofficial Results Application
- Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections (FL) – Promoting Effectualness by Minimizing Lines and Wait Times: First County in the Country to Use the No Wait Inside Appointment System for Elections
- South Carolina Election Commission – “South Carolina Election Response Guide” – Crisis Communication for Election Officials
- St. Louis County Board of Elections (MO) – Love Your Ballot Educational Campaign
Outstanding Innovations in Elections – Small/Medium Jurisdictions
- Brevard County Supervisor of Elections (FL) – SigView
- Douglas County Clerk/Elections (KS) – RFID Technology in Election Management
- Durham County Board of Elections (NC) – BOE Poll Count and Audit Application
- Paulding County Board of Elections and Voter Registration (GA) – Voter Education Guide
Best Practices in Recruiting, Retaining, and Training Poll Workers
- Charleston County Board of Elections and Voter Registration (SC) – Partnerships at the Polls
- Columbia County Supervisor of Elections (FL) – Bubble It In!
- Guam Election Commission – A Win-Win for the Guam Election Commission and the University of Guam – Poll Workers
- Martin County Supervisor of Elections (FL) – Sensitivity Training for Elections Worker!
Creative and Original “I Voted” Stickers
- City of Traverse City Clerk's Office – Multi-year voting sticker design contests
- Louisiana Department of State – Louisiana State of Mind
- South Carolina Election Commission – South Carolina's Iconic “I Voted” Sticker Redesign
In addition to the Clearie winners, 16 election offices were recognized with Clearie Honorable Mention awards.
Winners were selected by independent panels of current and former election officials, EAC Commissioners, and members of the EAC’s advisory boards. Judges were not eligible to score any entries from their own jurisdictions. Judges included:
- Nancy Boren, Director, Muscogee County Board of Elections and Registration, GA (EAC Standards Board Member)
- Diane Coenen, City Clerk, City of Oconomowoc, WI (EAC Local Leadership Council Member)
- Batina Dodge, County Clerk, Scotland County, MO (EAC Standards Board Member)
- Lauren Eanes, General Registrar, Madison County, VA
- Ricky Hatch, Weber County Clerk/Auditor, Weber County, UT (EAC Local Leadership Council and Board of Advisors Member)
- Elizabeth Howard, EAC Board of Advisors Member
- Shelly Jackson, Deputy Director of Elections, State Lt. Governor's Office, UT (EAC Standards Board Member)
- Howard Knapp, Executive Director, State Election Commission, SC (EAC Standards Board Member)
- Ruie Lavoie, Director, Baltimore County Board of Elections, MD (EAC Local Leadership Council Member)
- Cleta Mitchell, EAC Board of Advisors Member
- Sherry Poland, Director, Hamilton County Board of Elections, OH (EAC Local Leadership Council Member)
- Michael Stalberger, Property and Environmental Resources Director, Blue Earth County, MN (EAC Local Leadership Council Member)
- Philip Stark, EAC Board of Advisors Member
- Claire M. Steen, Deputy Registrar, Surry County, VA
- Lorena Stottler, Clerk-Treasurer, City of Janesville, WI (EAC Standards Board Member)
- Patty Weeks, County Clerk, Nez Perce County, ID (EAC Standards Board Member)
More information on the Clearies and each awardee is available on the EAC’s website.