Cook County Clerk Receives National Award for Student Early Voting Program Developed With Chicago Bears (Chicago, IL) – The Cook County Clerk’s Office has received national recognition for its “Defenders of DA’mocracy” High School Early Voting Program, an initiative developed in partnership with the Chicago Bears aimed at increasing civic engagement among young voters.
Cook County Clerk Monica Gordon announced that the program earned a 2026 Clearinghouse Award from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), which honors innovation and excellence in election administration nationwide.
The program was one of 46 initiatives recognized during this year’s awards cycle and was honored in the Communications Category for Distinguished Voter Education and Communications Initiatives.
Launched during the 2026 Illinois gubernatorial election cycle, the “Defenders of DA’mocracy” initiative trained students from 24 suburban high schools to operate on-campus early voting locations during the March 17 primary election. Students served as Election Judges and managed voter check-ins, ballot processing, and voting equipment under official election security protocols.
“This national recognition is an honor, but more importantly, it validates what we’ve built here in Cook County,” Gordon said in a statement. “Our ‘Defenders of DA’mocracy’ program shows that when you trust young people with real responsibility, they rise to meet it.”
“We’re not just expanding access – we’re building a pipeline of engaged voters and future Election Judges, and proving that innovative, community-driven partnerships can strengthen democracy for the long term,” she added.
The U.S. Election Assistance Commission, an independent bipartisan federal agency focused on election administration, presents the awards annually to recognize programs that demonstrate innovation, sustainability, outreach, cost-effectiveness, and measurable success.
Also known as the “Clearies,” the awards are part of the EAC’s mission under the Help America Vote Act to share best practices among election officials nationwide.
EAC Chairman Thomas Hicks, Vice Chair Christy McCormick, and Commissioner Ben Hovland praised this year’s winners in a joint statement.
“We congratulate this year’s Clearinghouse Award winners for their exceptional programs,” the commissioners said. “The winning programs 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.”
The Clerk’s Office said the program is designed to both expand voter participation and encourage long-term civic engagement among young residents throughout suburban Cook County.
Cook County Clerk Receives National Award for Student Early Voting Program Developed With Chicago Bears
