(Carson City, NV; March 12, 2013) — Secretary of State Ross Miller today announced that the Advisory Committee on Participatory Democracy (ACPD) is now accepting nominations for two awards promoting participatory democracy in Nevada – the Jean Ford Democracy Award and the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) Medallion Award.
“It is with great pleasure that I ask Nevadans for their assistance in identifying and honoring deserving citizens who have a made a positive impact on the democratic process in the Silver State,” said Secretary Miller. “Many citizens have dedicated service to their communities that assisted in the outstanding level of voter participation we reached in the 2012 election.”
The Jean Ford Democracy Award, named in honor of former state assemblywoman and state senator Jean Ford, honors deserving citizens who have benefited their communities, state and nation through their participation and leadership in furthering the democratic process. The nominations recognize leaders in the following categories:
- Educator (teacher or administrator any level K-16)
- Community Individual
- Elected and/or Government Employee (local or state)
The NASS Medallion Award allows individual Secretaries of State to recognize outstanding service and dedication to furthering the mission of the organization. The Medallion Award was created to honor individuals, groups or organizations with an established record of promoting the goals of NASS and consistent with the ACPD in the following areas:
- Elections
- Civic engagement
- Service to the state government – specifically, as it relates to the duties of the office of the secretary of state
- Philanthropic contribution which has significantly enhanced the quality of life in a community or the entire state
Any citizen or organization in Nevada may nominate a Nevada resident for the Jean Ford Democracy Award and the NASS Medallion Award. Applications and criteria for the awards are available by calling the Secretary of State’s office at (702) 684-5705, or by clicking the hyperlinks for the Jean Ford Democracy Award nomination packet and the NASS Medallion Award nomination packet. Deadline for submission is 12 p.m. on Friday, April 5. Members of the ACPD are responsible for reviewing nominations and selecting awardees. The recipient(s) of the 2013 Jean Ford Democracy Award will be honored during the 2013 legislative session. An event to honor NASS Medallion Award winners will also occur.
About Jean Ford
Jean Ford served in the State Assembly (1972-76) and the State Senate (1978-82). She was a fervent community activist who was instrumental in the establishment of the Nevada Women’s History Project, which gathered and disseminated information about the roles, accomplishments and activities of Nevada women from every race, class and ethnic background who contributed in determining the State’s future.
About NASS
Founded in 1904, NASS is the oldest, nonpartisan professional organization of public officials in the U.S. Members include the 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa and Puerto Rico. NASS serves as a medium for the exchange of information between states and fosters cooperation in the development of public policy. The association has key initiatives in the areas of elections and voting, state business services and digital archiving, international relations and state securities regulation, as well as several well-established awards programs. For more on NASS, please visit www.nass.org.
About the Advisory Committee on Participatory Democracy
The Advisory Committee on Participatory Democracy (ACPD) was first established in 1997 by the Legislature under the office of the Department of Cultural Affairs. The ACPD consists of 10 members including the Secretary of State or his designee and nine other members appointed by the Secretary of State. The Committee’s purpose is to assist the Secretary of State in identifying and proposing programs that promote citizen participation in governance, establishing a Jean Ford Democracy Award and working with partner organizations at the local, state and national level to increase voter participation. For more information on the ACPD, visit www.nvsos.gov.
Contact:
Catherine Lu, Public Information Officer
(702) 486-6982 / 334-7953
clu@sos.nv.gov