Brunswick County Board of Elections 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
BOLIVIA, NC (May 29, 2024) Today, the Brunswick County Board of Elections 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 Brunswick County Board of Elections’ Election Education Series was one of 32 programs that were recognized with a Clearie Award. The program provided educational opportunities for the community to engage in and better understand the election administration process. Seminar topics were Introduction to Elections, Voter Registration, Accessible Voting, Absentee by Mail Voting, Voting Equipment, Prepare to Vote, and Certifying an Election. We also offered an Election Expo which brought in community members and featured a range of interactive exhibits, stations, and resources designed to educate voters on the registration process, logistics, voting options, and voting equipment.
"It became apparent to our office, based on the questions we received, that people want to have a better understanding of how elections work," said Sara LaVere, Director of the Brunswick County Board of Elections. "Instead of offering one long presentation or answering questions as they came in, we decided to provide deeper dives into various election topics so that people could learn what they need."
Watch: Get links to watch the education seminar recordings on our website.
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.