Five Michigan communities win national Election Assistance Commission awards for outstanding work in election administration

LANSING, Mich – Today, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson congratulated five Michigan election administrators and jurisdictions selected as winners of U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) Clearinghouse Awards. The “Clearie” Awards are presented annually across the nation for best practices in election administration.  

“The 2024 elections were historic both for record-breaking voter turnout and as the very first statewide elections with in-person early voting,” Secretary Benson said. “Congratulations to these five county and local election administrators for their outstanding work and this well-deserved national honor. I’m so grateful to work with dedicated election officials across the state who go above and beyond to make sure every election is secure and that every eligible citizen can make their voice heard.”

Michigan winners of the 2024 EAC Clearinghouse Awards:  

• City of Monroe Clerk – Treasurer’s Office received an award in the category of Communications: Distinguished Voter Education and Communications Initiatives for its “Ready, Set, Vote” media strategy to increase election communication and voter engagement.

• Ottawa County Clerk/Register Of Deeds received an award in the category of Communications: Distinguished Voter Education and Communications Initiatives for its  “Not a Podcast” - Ballots & Banter video series. Election staff filmed episodes touching on topics that include ballot box security, early voting, election fraud and more.   

• Ann Arbor City Clerk’s Office received an award in the category of Contingency Planning: Exemplary Contingency Planning and Emergency Response Efforts for its “More Days, More Ways,” a written Emergency Election Operations handbook. 

• Election Division, City of Flint Clerk’s Office received an award in the category of Election Administration: Innovations or New Practices in Election Administration for documents and communication around the reorganization of their Absent Voter Counting Board. Staff defined tasks down to the simplest steps, wrote job descriptions for each member of the board, and created a linear flow of materials to prevent confusion about ballot status.  

• Harrison Township Clerk, Michigan - Boat Town I Voted Sticker received an award in the category of “I Voted” Stickers: Creative and Original “I Voted” Stickers. Drawing on its Boat Town USA nickname, the township selected the tagline “Boat Town, Vote Town” to promote elections in the community. 

The EAC Clearie awards received a record 258 entries for programs implemented in the 2024 presidential election year. Submissions were judged on innovation, sustainability, outreach, cost-effectiveness, replicability, and the generation of positive results. The full list of winners is available online at the EAC website.

The EAC was established by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA). It is an independent, bipartisan commission charged with developing guidance to meet HAVA requirements, adopting voluntary voting system guidelines, and serving as a national clearinghouse of information on election administration.