Recognized for Outstanding Innovations in Elections, Best Practices in Recruiting, Retaining, and Training Poll Workers and Honorable Mention for Outstanding Innovation in Election Cybersecurity and Technology
April 21, 2022

Contact: Mark Church, Chief Elections Officer & Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder
Alternate: Jim Irizarry, Asst. Chief Elections Officer & Asst. Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder

(Redwood City, CA) San Mateo County's Department of the Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder and Chief Elections Officer has once again received national recognition for its accomplishments, securing two prestigious Clearinghouse Awards from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) for Outstanding Innovations in Elections and Best Practices in Recruiting, Retaining, and Training Poll Workers. San Mateo County also received Honorable Mention for Outstanding Innovation in Election Cybersecurity and Technology.

San Mateo County was recognized for “Embracing Equity and Inclusion in Elections” for its community-based outreach program, targeting traditionally marginalized groups in low-voter-turnout neighborhoods, successfully increasing voter turnout with language minorities. The second U.S. Election Assistance Commission’s Clearinghouse Award was granted to the County’s “Increasing Youth Engagement through Student Poll Worker Program.” San Mateo County received Honorable Mention recognition for its “Innovative Cybersecurity and Election Security for Vote-by-Mail/Vote Center Election Environment.”

“The Clearie Awards give the EAC an opportunity to recognize the hard work and dedication of election officials across the country,” said EAC Chairman Thomas Hicks. “The recipients of these awards should be incredibly proud of the work they did to ensure the accuracy, security, and accessibility of the 2021 election. Their innovative thinking, resourcefulness and creativity are excellent examples for other election administrators to follow and learn from.”

“I am pleased to see the hard work of elections staff and our partners recognized,” said Chief Elections Officer Mark Church. “It has always been our goal to broaden and deepen our connections with the community, and these awards help raise awareness and participation in these vital programs.”

The Student Democracy Program is currently recruiting volunteers for the upcoming June 7, 2022 Statewide Direct Primary, with information and applications available at https://www.smcacre.org/elections/student-democracy-program. The Education and Outreach program is ongoing, providing $150,000 in funding to ten community-based organizations to serve as trusted messengers of election information.

Related Contacts

Mark Church

Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder and Chief Elections Officer
555 County Center
Redwood City, CA 94063-1665Get Directions
Phone:
650.363.4988

Jim Irizarry

Asst. Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Asst. Chief Elections Officer
555 County Center
Redwood City, CA 94063-1665Get Directions
Phone:
650.363.4988