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 Michigan's Port Huron Township has won a national competition recognizing best practices in election administration. The township was selected for its work to recruit, train and retain election workers. Born of the commission’s mandate to serve as a national clearinghouse of information on election administration, the EAC’s annual “Clearie” awards recognize outstanding innovations in election administration that can serve as examples to other officials and jurisdictions. 

Port Huron Township was recognized for its training and operation processes that have substantially increased accuracy and efficiency on Election Day at no additional cost. The township provides election workers with a color coded, categorized, easy-to-understand manual and an interactive hands-on training. On Election Day, workers receive several bins with equipment and supplies. Each bin is color coded and each item within the container is labeled and coded with the same color. 

“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.”

Recruiting poll workers can often be a challenge for election officials. According to a research brief released in November 2017 by the EAC, nearly 65 percent of jurisdictions around the country reported it was “very difficult” or “somewhat difficult” to obtain a sufficient number of poll workers. Even more challenging is recruiting a team of election workers that reflect the diversity of the community they will serve on Election Day.

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.