U.S. Election Assistance Commission recognizes county election administration excellence in 2023 Clearinghouse Awards

Key Takeaways

On May 29, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) announced the winners of its 2023 Clearinghouse (“Clearie”) awards, recognizing 24 jurisdictions for its election administration practices during the 2023 primary and general elections. Of the 24 winners, 17 county election departments were recognized across the program’s 10 categories and 14 county election offices were recognized as honorable mentions. 

What are the "Clearie" Awards?

Established in 2016, the Clearinghouse Awards, also known as the “Clearie” Awards, are presented to election offices and coalitions across the U.S. to promote best practices in elections and celebrate the accomplishments of election officials. Clearie Awards are not payments and simply recognize innovation and excellence in election administration.
 
A list of the county recipients and their programs can be found below, and a full list of awardees is available here.

The nation’s 3,069 counties traditionally administer and fund elections at the local level, including overseeing polling places and coordinating poll workers for federal, state and local elections. NACo congratulates all the 2023 “Clearie” winners.

2023 Clearinghouse Awardees

Outstanding Use of HAVA Grants in Elections Modernization

• Lake County, Ind. – Election Education and Quick Guide

Distinguished Voter Education and Communication Initiatives - Large Jurisdictions

• Hillsborough County, Fla. – The VoteHillsborough Video Series
• Maricopa County, Ariz. –  Voter Education and Communications Program
• Snohomish County, Wash. – Unleashing the Storytelling Power of Comic Book Art to Engage and Inform Voters

Distinguished Voter Education and Communication Initiatives - Small/Medium Jurisdictions

• Alexander County, N.C. – Inside Election Administration Article Series
• Beaufort County, N.C. – Bringing Local Government to Your Classroom
• Brunswick County, N.C. – Election Education Series
• Jefferson County, Colo. – Building Bridges, Igniting Votes: A Collaborative Campaign for Increased Turnout
• Nassau County, Fla. – Early Voting and Election Day Mass Text Messages to Voters

Improving Accessibility for Voters with Disabilities

• Knox County, Ind. – Electronic Sample Ballots

Outstanding Innovations in Election Cybersecurity and Technology

• Knox County, Ind. – ePoll Book Encoder Stabilizer Bracket

Outstanding Innovations in Elections - Large Jurisdictions

• Pierce County, Wash. – Cure Envelope Redesign & Drop Box Observer Program
• Salt Lake County, Utah – Stick It To 'Em: Reconciliation Log Stickers for Ballot Batches

Outstanding Innovations in Elections - Small/Medium Jurisdictions

• Nassau County, Fla. – Precinct Management App & Website Chatbot

Best Practices in Recruiting, Retaining and Training Poll Workers

• Hamilton County, Ohio – Online Training Video Library
• Hillsborough County, Fla. – VoteHillsborough Training Labs
• Nassau County, Fla. – ROAR: Recruitment, Orientation, Assignment, Retention
• Salt Lake County, Utah – Custom Dynamic Poll Worker Database
• Solano County, Calif. – Poll Worker Electronic Self-Scheduling for Election Day
• Wake County, N.C. – Interactive Manual Flipbook

Outstanding Election Official State Association Program

• Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC) – ISAC State Election Administration Training

Creative and Original "I Voted" Stickers

• City and County of Denver, Colo. – Artful Civic Engagement: "I Voted" Sticker Design Competition in Denver Jails
• Pierce County, Wash. – The Mountain of Democracy
• Santa Fe County, N.M. – "Future Voter" and "First-Time Voter" Sticker Design Contests

Honorable Mentions

• Charleston County, S.C. – 2023 "I Voted!" Sticker Design Contest
• City and County of Denver, Colo. – Voter Registration Cards 
• Durham County, N.C. – NC Voter ID Educational Campaign
• El Paso County, Texas – Braille Poll Pad
• Fairfax County, Va. – Building an Interactive Poll Worker Portal Using No-Code Tools
• Gloucester County, N.J. – AIM/Ready Board
• Hillsborough County, Fla. – The VoteHillsborough Art Contest
• Los Angeles County, Calif.  – Improved VBM and BMD Ballot Tracking & Voting Solutions for all People (VSAP) IT Professional Training Program
• Palm Beach County, Fla. – The Election Experience Tour & Records Retention Program
• Santa Fe County, N.M. – Project Bruno: Tabulator Security Program & Mentorship, Feedback and Debriefing for Election Workers
• Sarasota County, Fla. – Efficient Accounting for Vote-by-Mail Returns
• St. Joseph County, Ind. – Elections 101 Workshop
• Tazewell County, Ill. – Election Tabulation Facility & Illinois Election Integrity Outreach Initiative
• Utah County, Utah – Improved Voting Instructions Guide