Pierce County Elections has garnered national recognition for their innovative approach to election administration, securing the "Clearies" award for Innovation and New Tools in Election Security and Technology. This award, presented by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), acknowledges the efforts of election offices across the country. According to an announcement from the county, Pierce County's Securing Democracy's Inbox program played a pivotal role in enhancing cybersecurity by isolating and securing email attachment handling. This approach is a defense against the myriad threats, integrating technology with procedural safeguards to protect the electoral process.
Additionally, Pierce County Elections received an Honorable Mention for its Signature Solutions program, which, in collaboration with the League of Women Voters of Tacoma-Pierce County, ventured into the community for a hands-on approach to signature verification. Not only did this program increase the acceptance rate of ballots, but it also fostered greater voter participation and offered insights into more effective voter outreach tactics. "Elections in Pierce County rank as some of the safest in the nation," Pierce County Auditor Linda Farmer told Pierce County News. "Our team is constantly innovating, constantly looking at ways to improve."
The Clearies, now in their ninth year, are pivotal to the EAC's mission under the Help America Vote Act, serving as a clearinghouse for election administration information. The submissions were judged based on criteria including innovation, sustainability, outreach, cost-effectiveness, replicability, and the generation of positive results. EAC Chairman Donald Palmer, Vice Chair Thomas Hicks, and Commissioners Christy McCormick and Ben Hovland collectively praised the 2024 Clearie winners. "This year’s Clearinghouse Award-winning programs truly shined amid the high voter turnout in 2024. They are examples of the outstanding work election officials did to support tens of millions of voters during the presidential election," Pierce County said in a statement.
Categories for this year's awards included Communications, Security, Contingency Planning, Election Administration, Help America Vote Act (HAVA) Grants, Accessibility, Poll Workers, and even Creative "I Voted" Stickers. The diversity of categories reflects a broad spectrum of areas where election offices can excel and innovate. Pierce County's recognition in the Security category and its acknowledgment for Signature Solutions program is a testament to their dedication to maintaining integrity and trust in the electoral process at a local level.
