BISMARCK, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) -North Dakota Secretary of State Michael Howe has announced the North Dakota County Auditors Association recipient of the 2024 North Dakota Election Hero Award. The honor was presented on October 21 during the opening session of the North Dakota Association of Counties (NDACo) Annual Conference.

The award, created in recognition of National Election Hero Day, celebrates individuals and groups who play crucial roles in ensuring the security and accessibility of elections. This is the second year the award has been presented in North Dakota.

“We would not be able to hold North Dakota elections without the hard work and dedication of our state’s county auditors,” Secretary Howe said. The County Auditors Association provides support and resources for auditors as they oversee elections across the state, ensuring they are conducted securely and with integrity, a media release states.

The County Auditors Association was nominated for the award by North Dakota Elections Director Erika White, who praised the association’s critical role in running elections. According to White, county auditors and their staff work tirelessly to uphold election laws, test voting equipment, train election workers, and ensure voter access to the ballot box.

“Auditors follow laws and processes, test equipment, train election workers, and ensure each voter in our great state has access to the ballot box,” White said in a statement. “Being a county auditor is sometimes a thankless job, but each one takes great pride in the services they’re offering the voters of North Dakota.”

The North Dakota County Auditors Association, formed in the early 1900s, helps the state’s 53 county auditors stay informed about changing administrative practices and laws that affect their offices. This long-standing collaboration has been instrumental in supporting the auditors in maintaining secure and efficient elections across the state.