DES MOINES – State Director of Elections Dawn Williams was inducted into The Election Center's Hall of Fame during ceremonies in New Orleans this week. Only 12 other election professionals in the country have received this honor. Recipients are selected because they have earned respect and trust among their peers and furthered the elections profession through their conduct and actions.

"I am extremely proud of Dawn for receiving this prestigious honor," Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate said. "She is very deserving of it and I'm grateful to have her as a mentor and leader of my staff. When I returned to this office in January 2015, I wanted to develop the best elections division possible, and hiring Dawn was a key component of that effort. I truly admire her dedication and leadership."

Dawn Williams has been an election professional for more than 30 years. Prior to joining the Iowa Secretary of State's Office, she worked in the Marshall County Auditor's Office from 1988-2014, first serving as Election Director and later County Auditor and Recorder.

"I am honored to be recognized by The Election Center, an organization I have looked to for guidance throughout my career," Williams said.

The Election Center, also known as the National Association of Election Officials, is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to promote, preserve, and improve democracy. Dawn Williams has been a member of The Election Center for 23 years and was awarded their Certified Elections/Registration Administrator (CERA) designation in 1998.

Williams' impact on election administration goes far beyond Iowa's borders. She served as co-chair of the voter registration committee for the 2000 National Task Force on Election Reform and was the National Task Force on Election Reform co-chair in 2004. Williams has also been a member of The Election Center's Professional Education Board since 2003 and served on the Professional Practices Committee from 2003 to 2017.

Encouraging collaboration between jurisdictions of all sizes is a passion of Dawn's. She testified before the Presidential Commission on Election Reform in 2013 about how the sharing of best practices improves election administration.

A photo of Dawn Williams with Tim Mattice, executive director of The Election Center (left) and Ernest Hawkins, chairman of the board (right), is available for your use at this link.

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