The NASS Medallion Award allows individual Secretaries of State to recognize outstanding service and dedication to furthering the mission of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) within the states.
Eligibility & Selection Guidelines
The NASS Medallion Award was created to honor individuals, groups or organizations with an established record of promoting the goals of NASS in one or more of the following areas:
- Elections, with special emphasis on voter education and participation
- Civic education, including the teaching, promotion and study of this subject
- Service to state government, specifically as it relates to the duties of the office of the Secretary of State
- A commitment to giving – a business or individual whose philanthropic contributions have significantly enhanced the quality of life in a local or regional area within a state, or within an entire state
Award recipients should reflect the mission, purposes and objectives of NASS as outlined in the NASS Constitution, Bylaws and other relevant NASS policies. They should also promote the same dignity, ideals and stature that NASS has come to represent over the years.
Selection & Presentation Process
The selection of NASS Medallion recipients and the presentation of the award(s) are left to the discretion of individual Secretaries of State/Lieutenant Governors. However, recipients must reside in (or be headquartered in) the presenter's state and the presenting NASS member must abide by the general requirements and restrictions as listed below.
General Requirements & Restrictions
a. NASS Medallion awards may not be ordered less than 30 days prior to the conclusion of the member's term in office.
b. NASS Medallion awards must be awarded during a member's term in office.
c. Each member may award up to five NASS medallions annually (the cycle is defined by the time period between NASS summer conferences).
d. Each member will be invoiced for their NASS medallions upon order completion. Invoice will include shipping and handling fees.
e. To ensure that an adequate stock of medallions is available, Secretaries of State are asked to give the NASS office a reasonable amount of advance notification when requesting the awards.
f. NASS medallions may be engraved (on the back) or mounted to a plaque with engraving in order to enhance presentation. However, the related costs and ordering details are the responsibility of the presenting member.
g. If NASS chooses to showcase state winners for public relations purposes, the presenting Secretary of State agrees to cooperate with and coordinate such efforts with NASS.
h. Under no circumstances is it permissible for a Secretary of State to present a NASS Medallion for partisan or political purposes.
i. Under no circumstances is it permissible for a Secretary of State to present a NASS Medallion for personal financial or professional gain.
Order NASS Medallion Awards
When ordering medallions, Secretary of State offices must provide NASS with a written summary of the criteria used to select the award recipient (instructions provided with medallion request form), along with the tentative date and location of the presentation. This information becomes a part of the association's historical records.
The NASS Executive Board receives an annual, state-by-state summary listing the recipients of the NASS Medallions during the year.
Click here to download a NASS Medallion Order Form (cost & shipping info included)
Direct email requests/questions to bhamilton@nass.org, or call (202) 624-3527.
