Gary L Herman
On May 29, the Alexander County Board of Elections was named one of only 32 programs nationwide to earn a Clearinghouse Award from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC).
Also known as the “Clearies,” the awards program celebrates the hard work of election offices across the country for programs in 2023. Winning jurisdictions range from counties with 25,000 registered voters to states with over 7 million.
The Alexander County Board of Elections was an award winner in the Distinguished Voter Education and Communication Initiatives (small/medium jurisdiction) category with its “Inside Election Administration Article Series.” The article series was a collaboration with The Taylorsville Times to feature a monthly newspaper column explaining various aspects of elections administration. The series showcases the robust framework of election administration and the professionalism that ensures elections are conducted lawfully and fairly.
Patrick Wike
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. The EAC is an independent, bipartisan federal agency solely focused on election administration. Submissions were judged on innovation, sustainability, outreach, cost-effectiveness, replicability, and the generation of positive results.
This year’s awards categories include:
• Outstanding Use of HAVA Grants in Elections Modernization
• Distinguished Voter Education and Communications Initiatives – Large Jurisdictions
• Distinguished Voter Education and Communications Initiatives – Small/Medium Jurisdictions
• Improving Accessibility for Voters with Disabilities
• Outstanding Innovation in Election Cybersecurity and Technology
• Outstanding Innovations in Elections – Large Jurisdictions
• Outstanding Innovations in Elections – Small/Medium Jurisdictions
• Best Practices in Recruiting, Retaining, and Training Poll Workers
• Outstanding Election Official State Association Program or Local Office
• Creative and Original “I Voted” Stickers
“We’re in the middle of a busy election year, but 2023 was an opportunity for election officials to implement new programs and test their effectiveness before the increased turnout of the presidential election. We hope these winning programs inspire election officials to replicate them in their jurisdiction,” said EAC Chairman Ben Hovland, Vice Chair Donald Palmer, Commissioner Thomas Hicks, and Commissioner Christy McCormick in a joint statement. “With the rise of artificial intelligence and the increased need for reliable election information, we are pleased to introduce the Distinguished Voter Education and Communications Initiatives award category for small and large jurisdictions. Effective and innovative communications is critical, and we hope the winners in this new category can provide useful best practices for 2024 and beyond.”