In addition to the Clearies winners, 37 programs were recognized with Clearie Honorable Mentions.
Communications: Distinguished Voter Education and Communications Initiatives
Small Jurisdictions
Fredericksburg Office of Voter Registration and Elections, Virginia
Gnome EV/Candidate Guide
The Fredericksburg Office of Voter Registration and Elections created engaging, easy-to-understand guides to improve voter communication and candidate awareness, featuring the office’s gnome mascots. The Early Voting Guide walks voters through the process step by step, including where to park, what to bring, and what to expect at the voting location, while encouraging participation through #fxbgvotes. A companion Candidate Guide outlines key campaigning rules, such as the 40-foot prohibited zone, interactions with voters and election staff, and time limits inside voting locations. The guides also promote a text alert system to keep candidates informed with timely election updates.
Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office, New Mexico
Ranked Choice Ready: Santa Fe Voter Education Program
The Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office launched Ranked Choice Ready ahead of the regular local election to help voters learn about ranked choice voting. The initiative featured age-appropriate activities through KidsVote and Democracy101 programs, offering mock elections and hands-on practice. During early voting, children practiced casting ranked-choice ballots on real voting equipment while their parents voted. The office also launched a web page with plain-language FAQs and partnered with Democracy Rising to create bilingual videos in English and Spanish. An online tool allowed residents to practice voting and view live tabulation rounds. After the election, similar visuals were used to help explain official results.
St. Joseph County, IN Elections and Voter Registration Office, Indiana
Let’s Make it Clear, Travel Board
St. Joseph County created Let’s Make It Clear, a simple, easy-to-use brochure to simplify absentee voting for homebound voters in care facilities and the caregivers who assist them. Previously, the process had been complex and often confusing, especially after recent legislative changes. The brochure provides step-by-step instructions on how to register voters, request a travel board visit, and find the correct forms and contacts. By simplifying the process, it reduces errors and delays, improves communication with election officials, ensures timely ballot access, and makes voting more accessible for aging residents and those with disabilities.
Medium Jurisdictions
Charleston County Board of Voter Registration and Elections, South Carolina
Voter Ambassador Program
The Charleston County Voter Ambassador Program empowers residents to become trusted messengers with accurate election information. Launched in 2024 and continued today, the initiative trains volunteers to host voter registration drives, answer questions, and share clear, accessible guidance about voting. Ambassadors receive in-depth instruction on election laws, voter education, and effective communication strategies, along with professional materials to support outreach. With more than 220 ambassadors trained in under two years, the program expands the county’s communication reach, strengthens civic understanding, and ensures that reliable information flows directly through neighborhoods, community groups, and underserved areas.
Lake County Board of Elections and Registration, Indiana
Proactive Absentee Ballot Error Prevention Initiative
Lake County launched a Proactive Absentee Ballot Error Prevention Initiative to reduce common mistakes that can lead to ballot rejection. Drawing on staff experience, the program targets errors like missing signatures, signature mismatches, and new statutory date requirements before ballots are submitted. Voters receive clear, easy-to-read guidance through flyers, brochures, and senior-outreach booklets. An interactive game, “Climb the Ladder, Count the Vote,” helps explain the absentee process, deadlines, and common pitfalls. This proactive approach helps reduce errors, preserves voter intent, and lessens administrative workload during peak periods.
Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections, Florida
Clarity Meets Accessibility: A Unified Signage System for Voters
Sarasota County redesigned its voting location signage to improve clarity, consistency, and voter understanding. Previously developed in an ad hoc way, signs varied in style, repeated information, and used inconsistent English and Spanish messaging. A cross-functional team from communications, training, logistics, and operations reviewed the full inventory, removed outdated and duplicate materials, and ensured all required notices aligned with the state Polling Place Procedures Manual. The new system uses color blocks, icons, and simplified bilingual text to guide voters. This approach reduces confusion and cognitive load, improves accessibility for Spanish-speaking voters, and makes setup and compliance easier for poll workers.
Large Jurisdictions
County of Santa Clara Registrar of Voters, California
Media Day: Making it Easy for the Media to Tell the Election Story
The County of Santa Clara Registrar of Voters hosts Media Day approximately 15 days before each election to help local media prepare for accurate coverage. Held at the main election office, the three-hour event offers a structured, behind-the-scenes look at election operations. It features a press conference with the registrar, election staff, and the sheriff’s office covering ballot content, voting options, and security. Reporters explore a mock vote center with demonstrations of accessibility and language services, tour ballot processing operations, and conduct one-on-one interviews with subject matter experts and bilingual staff in up to eight languages. A take-home media kit supports reporting, helping ensure clear, consistent information reaches voters. This outreach has generated more than 100,000 web views per election.
Orange County Registrar of Voters, California
Building Trust Through Transparency Initiative
Orange County launched “Building Trust Through Transparency” after a widely shared video during the November 2024 election led to increased public questions about the voting process. The Registrar of Voters responded with a sustained, nonpartisan communications effort to explain election safeguards, preempt misinformation, and strengthen public understanding. Centered on the message “Vote Easy. Vote Secure.” the effort used multilingual outreach, including social media, short videos, media engagement, facility tours, community presentations, and partnerships with trusted messengers. The effort provided clear, consistent information about how elections are conducted, improving public awareness, supporting accurate reporting, and reinforcing confidence in the process.
State Level
Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission, Arizona
Captain Activate! And the Future Voters
The Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission created Captain Activate! and the Future Voters, an original comic series designed to make civic education more engaging for Arizona youth. The story follows Captain Activate! and a team of Future Voters as they face real-world scenarios, including a “Misinformation Maze,” while learning core skills like media literacy, safe information sharing, and how voting works. By turning complex topics into age-appropriate, relatable stories, the series builds understanding and connection to the democratic process. The program also includes a mascot, a state-aligned digital curriculum, and partnerships with schools, libraries, and election officials, reaching thousands of students statewide.
Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State
Minnesota Elections: Locally Crafted
The Minnesota Secretary of State launched Trusted Elections, Locally Crafted, a digital campaign during the 2025 municipal election year to strengthen confidence in elections across the Twin Cities metro. Funded by a DHS Urban Area Security Initiative grant, the effort highlighted that elections are administered at the local level. The campaign paired this message with a cross-stitch visual theme representing care, tradition, and attention to detail. Designs were created as real cross-stitch patterns, photographed, and used across social media, digital ads, and displays. Creative was produced in-house, while grant funds also supported ad placement.
Uniformed and Overseas Voters: Exemplary Services to Assist Military and Overseas Voters
Okaloosa County Supervisor of Elections, Florida
Our Mission: Your Vote — Okaloosa County’s Electronic Ballot Delivery System
Okaloosa County, home to the largest Air Force base in the world, uses a three-part approach to better serve military and overseas voters under UOCAVA. The county started its outreach work with military voters in 2000. Voters receive an annual notice of elections early each year, can request and receive blank ballots by email, and are automatically included in an online ballot delivery system that allows immediate access without repeated contact. This integrated system is designed for voters in remote or deployed locations with limited connectivity, helping them quickly obtain ballots and focus their time on voting. It also streamlines ballot return and duplication for tabulation, improving efficiency and accuracy for election staff.
Election Administration: Innovations or New Practices in Election Administration
Small Jurisdictions
Arlington County Office of Voter Registration, Virginia
A Better Canvass: One-Entry Data Collection and Real-Time Feedback
Arlington County’s Office of Voter Registration improved its canvass process by replacing long paper checklists that captured more than 100 data points with a simpler digital system. Instead of collecting the same information multiple times, canvass teams now enter data once during the review, reducing errors and saving time. The system sends automatic updates to precinct officials, providing quick feedback, and supporting better training. It also brings together information from multiple forms and records, making verification easier. With a real-time dashboard, election leaders can track progress and certify results with greater confidence.
Delaware County Board of Elections, Ohio
The Election Workout Circuit
The Delaware County Board of Elections in Ohio created an “Election Workout Circuit” to help staff stay energized during long election days. The program features short, five-minute exercise breaks each hour, with simple movements that can be done at a desk or in the office without equipment. Staff often participate together, which builds teamwork and boosts morale. These regular breaks help reduce stress, improve focus, and maintain energy throughout the day. By supporting staff wellness, the program strengthens the office’s ability to assist poll workers, manage polling locations, and serve voters effectively.
Medium Jurisdictions
Burlington County Superintendent of Elections, New Jersey
Election Administration: Innovations or New Practices in Election Administration
In 2025, Burlington County replaced its manual, paper-based incident tracking with a digital help desk system, developed in partnership with Tenex Software Solutions. Previously, staff managed hundreds of issues using notebooks and phone calls, which hindered dispatch efficiency and data analysis. The new system allows staff to centralize incident reporting and route issues to field technicians in real time. During the November 2025 general election, the county logged over 500 incidents with an average response time of 31 minutes or less. This improvement cut communication and dispatch times in half compared to prior elections.
Delaware County Elections Department, Pennsylvania
Memory Device Display Case
To increase transparency following its 2020 transition to a new balloting system, the Delaware County Elections Department addressed observer concerns regarding the chain of custody for election memory devices. While the upload process was already livestreamed, observers questioned the security of the devices as they moved to storage. In response, the county’s IT liaison introduced the “Memory Device Display Case,” a secure, retail-style glass case with locking sliding doors. Purchased for just $1,475, the case allows the public and party observers to monitor the electronic storage devices 24/7 via livestream through the entire certification and recount process, providing ultimate transparency at a low cost.
Volusia County Supervisor of Elections, Florida
Mapping Voter Access: Using Geospatial Data to Optimize Early Voting Locations
In preparation for an office relocation, the Volusia County Supervisor of Elections conducted a data-driven review of its eight early voting sites to ensure they were optimally serving voters. The team used geospatial analysis to geocode turnout data from the 2024 general election. This allowed the office to visualize real-time voter travel patterns, distances, and geographic participation trends rather than relying on raw turnout totals. By mapping voter origins against existing locations, the team identified areas where voters faced longer travel times and highlighted opportunities to adjust site locations to improve accessibility, reduce travel burden, and enhance convenience for all Volusia County voters.
Yavapai County Elections Department, Arizona
Candidate and Campaign Finance Filing Portal
Yavapai County Elections developed a Candidate and Campaign Finance Filing Portal to modernize how candidates file required forms for county and local offices. The online system provides a clear, step-by-step process that meets Arizona’s requirements for electronic filing and timely public access to campaign finance and election administration-related information. By guiding users through each requirement, the portal reduces common errors, improves accuracy, and speeds up staff review. It also makes filings quickly available online, improving transparency, increasing efficiency, and making it easier for voters to access important election information.
Large Jurisdictions
Arizona Secretary of State
Increasing Election Official AI Literacy: AI + Elections Bootcamps
The AI + Elections Clinic at Arizona State University’s Mechanics of Democracy Lab builds on recommendations from the Arizona Secretary of State’s AI & Election Security Committee’s 2025 Report. The clinic helps election officials safely and responsibly use artificial intelligence (AI). Regional bootcamps trained election officials from over 20 states on using AI to save time, spot risks, and boost election security. Participants learned how to assess AI tools, address ethical concerns, and follow best practices.
County of Santa Clara Registrar of Voters, California
Elmwood Voting Initiative: Reimaging Incarcerated Voter Access
In 2025, Santa Clara County’s Registrar of Voters partnered with the county’s Diversion and Reentry Services to set up a vote center inside Elmwood Correctional Facility to bring a full-service voting experience to incarcerated individuals. Moving beyond limited mail-in options, the county deployed a cross-trained team equipped with e-pollbooks and ballot-on-demand printers directly to the facility. This program allowed eligible voters at Elmwood to register and vote on-site using the same secure technology and privacy found at any public vote center. During the pilot’s three site visits, the team served approximately 50 voters. Supported by tailored materials, the program ensures that incarcerated voters can exercise their rights with professional support and dignity.
Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, California
Mapping Ballot Chain-of-Custody Using GIS
The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s GIS Ballot Box Scan Dashboard modernizes ballot chain-of-custody tracking by integrating geospatial technology with real-time barcode scan data. Built in ArcGIS Dashboards, it provides election officials with a live, interactive map showing the movement and status of ballot boxes from vote centers to check-in stations and the ballot processing center. Each time a box is scanned, the system records the time and location, creating a clear and easy-to-follow audit trail. The system replaces manual spreadsheets and fragmented reporting with a centralized, data-driven platform that enhances accountability, strengthens oversight, and supports secure, efficient election operations.
Accessibility: Best Practices for Improving Accessibility for Voters with Disabilities
Lake County Clerk, Illinois
Lake County Voter Experience Event
Lake County created a Voter Experience Event for individuals with disabilities to build confidence and reduce barriers to voting. In partnership with the Lake County Center for Independent Living, the clerk’s office hosted a hands-on mock election using official voting equipment. Participants practiced casting ballots, explored accessible options, and received guidance from trained staff to choose the method that best supports their needs before Election Day. The welcoming setting helped reduce participant anxiety and errors while improving understanding of the process. The event also gave election officials valuable feedback to strengthen accessibility and improve services.
Martin County Supervisor of Elections, Florida
Election Worker Sensitivity Training
The Martin County Supervisor of Elections strengthened poll worker training to better support voters with disabilities. Ahead of the 2024 elections, the Elections Center identified a need for more engaging sensitivity training and partnered with Cheryl and Pride, to create an educational training video. The video features a local voter with a disability sharing real experiences and practical guidance on respectful communication and accessibility at the polls. Used to train poll workers across the county, the approach received strong positive feedback and helped staff feel better prepared to provide effective, in-person support to voters.
Security: Innovation and New Tools in Election Security and Technology
Arizona Secretary of State
Protecting Election Officials: Social Media Lockdown Training
In response to the increased harassment and threats against election officials and other government employees, the Arizona Secretary of State hosted a series of Social Media Lockdown training sessions to strengthen staff’s personal and professional online security. These sessions are designed to offer immediate, practical steps employees can take to proactively minimize and control their personal information available online, including securing or removing their social media accounts.
Fairfax County Office of Elections, Virginia
Security Built, Not Bought: Modernizing Chain-of-Custody With GPS, RFID, and No-Code Tools
In 2025, Fairfax County built a custom chain-of-custody tracking system using no-code tools, GPS, RFID, and barcode scanning to secure over 3,300 pieces of voting equipment across 280 locations. Each time equipment moves, staff scan its barcode using a mobile phone, automatically recording the handler’s identity, timestamp, GPS coordinates, and photo verification, creating an auditable record trail. Supervisors monitor a live dashboard showing exactly where equipment is and where it has been. This independent, real-time visibility into Fairfax County’s entire voting system allows for misdirected equipment that might not have been discovered until Election Day to be immediately corrected.
Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, California
Centralized Dashboards for Election Readiness, Monitoring, and Response
The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk's Power BI Dashboard enhances real-time election administration by visualizing critical operational data from 650 vote centers. The dashboard features five key visuals to monitor poll pad syncing and worker sign-ins, including two dynamic tables displaying only vote centers that need attention — one for unsynced poll pads, another for insufficient staff. This innovative, targeted view simplifies complex data for administrators, enabling faster decision-making, improved accuracy, and proactive issue resolution during early voting and Election Day operations.
Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, California
iPad Repurposing Project
The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (RR/CC) replaced 1,100 outdated laptops used by Field Support Technicians with repurposed iPads managed through Intune to log incidents at vote centers and access essential training materials. The laptops required manual updates, two shared local accounts, and password resets — a month-long process before every election that caused operational delays and security vulnerabilities. The new system eliminates shared credentials, standardizes configurations, and enables zero-touch deployment. This modern, secure platform strengthens physical and cybersecurity protection while improving the speed and reliability of field support across all vote centers.
Poll Workers: Best Practices in Recruiting, Retaining, and Training Poll Workers
Small/Medium Jurisdictions
City of Henderson, Nevada
Polls, Peace, and Pups: Supporting Poll Worker Wellness in a High-Stress Election Environment
In 2023, the City of Henderson launched Polls, Peace, and Pups, a wellness-centered program to support poll workers’ physical, mental, and emotional well-being throughout high-stress election environments. By partnering with the City’s Mental Health & Wellness Program, election staff were provided with sanitation support, rest and decompression spaces, mindfulness tools, and animal-assisted stress relief. The program improved morale and reduced burnout, resulting in a more resilient, prepared, and engaged election workforce that also enhanced the voter experience.
Durham County Board of Elections, North Carolina
Durham County Board of Elections Precinct Official Knowledge Base
The Durham County Board of Elections launched the Precinct Official Knowledge Base for the 2025 Municipal Elections to empower poll workers to address voters’ questions and concerns confidently. The tool is a centralized, searchable online resource providing poll workers with easy access to step-by-step instructions, guidance, and reference materials designed for use before and during voting periods. By enabling users to quickly search for specific keywords and topics, the Knowledge Base ensures that election workers can quickly locate accurate information for real-time support, ensuring voters receive timely and efficient assistance, which in turn fosters greater public trust in the election process.
Large/State Jurisdictions
Fairfax County Office of Elections, Virginia
Chief Open House: Where Nervous Poll Workers Become Confident Leaders
The Fairfax County Office of Elections began offering Chief Open Houses in 2023 to better prepare election officers for the complexity and responsibility of overseeing the county’s 265 polling places. Replacing traditional lectures, this full-day, hands-on training features 10 stations where election officers can drop in and stay as long as needed to practice handling real election procedures and situations and receive live feedback to correct any misunderstandings before Election Day. Election officers’ increased confidence and competence ensure smoother operations, better service to voters, and stronger election integrity.
South Carolina Election Commission
Election Day Visual Guide: Opening and Closing the Polls
The South Carolina Election Commission created two comic-style visual guides, Opening the Polls and Closing the Polls, to improve poll worker training and retention. These illustrated step-by-step summaries transform complex statutory procedures into clear, easy-to-follow workflows that mirror Election Day operations. The guides serve as visual performance-support tools, reinforcing critical tasks such as equipment setup, documentation, reconciliation, and closing procedures, and are now included in the updated Poll Manager Handbook. By reducing cognitive overload and increasing clarity, this innovative approach strengthens confidence, consistency, and professionalism across polling locations.
Wake County Board of Elections, North Carolina
At-Home Provisional Exercise
Following record turnout in the 2024 general election, the Wake County Board of Elections expanded training for its more than 3,000 precinct officials. To address the increased demand for provisional ballots, the board developed the At-Home Provisional Exercise. The self-paced program includes an online simulation of the Voter and Street Tool (VAST) system used on Election Day and printable materials featuring realistic voter scenarios and sample provisional materials. Strengthening officials’ familiarity and confidence in provisional ballot processing, where envelope accuracy and completeness are essential for post-election review. The election office has found that processing ballots in a low-risk environment increases accuracy, retention, and precision on Election Day.
Help America Vote Act (HAVA) Grants: Outstanding Use of HAVA Grants in Election Modernization
West Virginia Secretary of State
Loan and Grant Programs Under the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) for the Purchase of Voting Equipment, Election Systems, Software, Services and Upgrades
West Virginia used HAVA funding to modernize election administration across all 55 counties. Instead of one large purchase, the state made targeted upgrades to strengthen cybersecurity, replace aging equipment, expand accessibility, and prevent Election Day issues through proactive maintenance. Investments included enhanced server infrastructure, new voting equipment where needed, ADA-compliant ballot-marking devices statewide, battery replacements to avoid Election Day issues, ballot-on-demand printing, and updates to the statewide voter registration system. Together, these efforts made elections more reliable, easier to manage, and more secure, while building public confidence and showing responsible use of federal funds.
Contingency Planning: Exemplary Contingency Planning and Emergency Response Efforts
Durham County Board of Elections, North Carolina
Election Official Supplemental Security Plan
To enhance the protection of staff and poll workers, the Durham County Board of Elections implemented a specialized security plan in addition to its existing emergency response (COOP). This plan emphasizes the physical safety of election officials by introducing key measures: GPS trackers with geofencing equipment, security escorts for transporting ballots and supplies, and on-site emergency alert badges for staff. Additionally, they collaborated with the County Office of Emergency Services to create an emergency ticketing system, ensuring that help can be dispatched quickly and accurately whenever an incident occurs.
Fairfax County Office of Elections, Virginia
Never in the Dark Again: Creating a Real-Time Polling Place Emergency Tracker
After a power outage left two polling places operating in the dark for hours without central office awareness, Fairfax County recognized a critical need for real-time operational visibility. Previously, site statuses and contingency plans were scattered across spreadsheets and physical binders, hindering emergency responses. To solve this, the office developed the Election Day Information Tracker (EDIT). This Airtable-based centralized database integrates polling place data, poll worker assignments, emergency contacts, and incident logs. By providing a single dashboard for tracking updates, EDIT ensures all locations remain visible and supported, eliminating communication silos during critical voting hours.
“I Voted” Stickers: Creative and Original “I Voted” Stickers
Small/Medium Jurisdictions
Doña Ana County Clerk’s Office, New Mexico
2025 “I Voted” and “Future Voter” Sticker
The Doña Ana County Clerk’s Office continued its annual “I Voted” sticker program by inviting staff to design a bilingual sticker that reflects local culture. The selected design by Jaclyn Duran features a circular teal background with a white chili pepper at the center, surrounded by geometric patterns and stars, with red and white border rings. It was produced in both “I Voted” and “Yo Voté Doña Ana County” versions for early voting. The office also introduced a “Future Voter” sticker through a partnership with Raíces del Saber Xinachtli Community School. Students ages 5–11 submitted artwork, with the winning sticker promoted online, featuring a roadrunner and Zia symbol. These efforts highlight local identity and strengthen community engagement across generations.
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Large Jurisdictions
Kitsap County Auditor, Washington
Kitsap County Elections “I Voted”
In 2025, the Kitsap County Auditor’s Office launched a countywide “I Voted” sticker design contest, partnering with all five school districts and promoting participation through social media. The effort generated 18 submissions from students and residents. Staff selected one student design and two community designs to serve as official stickers for the 2025 Primary and General Elections and special elections in early 2026. Designs included an orca and waves motif, a bold “Kitsap Voter Right Here!” graphic, and a hand-drawn scene with water, a ferry, and mountains. All entries were also featured in the General Election Local Voters’ Pamphlet, highlighting community creativity and engagement.
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Minneapolis Elections & Voter Services, Minnesota
Community-Inspired “I Voted” Stickers
Minneapolis Elections & Voter Services introduced site-specific “I Voted” stickers for its one-day early voting pop-up locations during the 2025 Municipal Election. Five unique circular designs were created in the city’s blue and green color palette, each featuring a recognizable local site. Stickers highlighted locations such as Midtown Global Market, the Minneapolis Public Service Building, Urban League, Webber Park, and the Weisman Art Museum, with stylized illustrations and text noting where the vote was cast. By connecting voting to familiar landmarks, the initiative builds civic pride, encourages participation, and creates collectible reminders of engagement within the community.
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