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County Of Sonoma › Administrative Support & Fiscal Services › Clerk-Recorder-Assessor-Registrar of Voters › Coalition of Bay Area Election Officials Recognized for Excellence in Election Administration with National Clearinghouse Award
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For Immediate Release

Coalition of Bay Area Election Officials Recognized for Excellence in Election Administration with National Clearinghouse Award

One of 32 Programs Honored by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission for Innovation, Sustainability, and Replicability

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, CA | June 20, 2024

Today, the Coalition of Bay Area Election Officials announced they were recognized for excellence in election administration with a national Clearinghouse Award for Distinguished Voter Education and Communications Initiatives. Also known as the “Clearies,” the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) presents the awards program annually to celebrate the hard work of election offices across the country. Now in its eighth year, this year’s Clearie Awards honored programs that took place during the 2023 elections.

The Bay Area Coalition of Elections Officials was one of 32 programs that were recognized with a Clearie Award. The program brings together 11 counties in the San Francisco Bay Area. The effort joins forces across 11 neighboring counties, working collaboratively to drive a regional approach to the shared media market. The Coalition expanded voter outreach and education programs to increase public awareness and understanding of elections by demystifying processes and describing the many safeguards that maintain the integrity of elections. By combining resources and bringing together experts across the region, the Coalition was able to produce a vast array of editorials, press releases, and voter education videos on topics ranging from why the vote-counting process takes time to how to fill out a ballot in your county. The Coalition also sought to quell rumors and reject falsehoods regarding elections processes. The Coalition has been preparing diligently for the 2024 elections and is well underway to serve the 4.3 million registered voters in the area. The following counties currently participate in the Coalition: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, San Benito, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, Santa Cruz, and Sonoma.

“We are grateful that our collaborative efforts have been recognized,” said Shannon Bushey, Registrar of Voters, Santa Clara County.” In the ever-changing landscape for Voter Education and Elections Communications, collaborative work is critical, and we hope that our efforts can offer a model for elections offices across the country.”

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 and want to recognize all the winners and those who applied across the country,” 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.”

More information on the Clearies and each awardee is available on eac.gov.

Coalition of Bay Area Election Officials

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