Alan Hays, Lake County Supervisor of Elections announced they were recognized for excellence in election administration with a national Clearinghouse Award for Accessibility. Now in its 10^th year, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) presents these awards annually to recognize best practices in election administration. This year’s winning programs took place during the 2025 election cycle.

The Lake County Supervisor of Elections Office’s accessible ballot program was recognized with a Clearinghouse award or “Clearie.” The office’s innovative approach provides a fully compliant remote ballot marking system, that works with screen readers, magnification, voice navigation, and alternative input devices. Since implementation, absentee ballot use among voters with disabilities has increased by 38%.

“I have the pleasure of working with a team of champions. One of these champions, Vote-by-Mail Manager, Michelle Mohney recognized a need and worked diligently to build a bridge to expand voting access to community members,” said Hays. “We are proud to be recognized for our accessible ballot program and for what Michelle’s work means to voters with disabilities.”

These awards 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.

EAC Chairman Thomas Hicks, Vice Chair Christy McCormick, and Commissioner Ben Hovland issued the following joint statement:

“We congratulate this year’s Clearinghouse Award winners for their exceptional programs. We received nearly 200 entries from across the country, and these were the most innovative and creative ways state and local election officials supported voters in 2025. The winning programs also stood out because they can be replicated and scaled to meet the needs of other election offices, regardless of size or resources, for future elections.”

“This is a special year for the Clearinghouse Awards, not only for the caliber of the winners but also for the 10th anniversary of the awards. Over the past decade, we have seen shining examples of election officials’ creativity, spirit, and drive to serve their communities. This year is no different. The EAC is pleased to provide a national platform and commemorate their hard work.”

This year’s award categories include:

• Accessibility: Best Practices for Improving Accessibility for Voters with Disabilities
• Communications: Distinguished Voter Education and Communications Initiatives
• Contingency Planning: Exemplary Contingency Planning and Emergency Response Efforts
• Election Administration: Innovations or New Practices in Election Administration
• Help America Vote Act (HAVA) Grants: Outstanding Use of HAVA Grants in Elections Modernization
• Poll Workers: Best Practices in Recruiting, Retaining, and Training Poll Workers
• Security: Innovation and New Tools in Election Security and Technology
• Uniformed and Overseas Voters: Exemplary Service to Assist Military and Overseas Voters
• “I Voted” Stickers: Creative and Original “I Voted” Stickers

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