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The 2007 Democracy Award recipients
were honored at a ceremony on Monday, February 5, 2007, in the Cedar Creek Room of the Vermont State House in Montpelier.
The event was hosted by Secretary of State Deb Markowitz and the featured
speaker was Justice John Dooley.
The 2007 recipients of the
National Association of Secretaries of State
Medallion Award are:
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The Honorable Lynn Bohi
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Former Representative Lynn Bohi, a
resident of Hartford, has been selected as a recipient of this year’s
Medallion Award because of her many years of service as a legislator
working to improve the administration of the state’s elections.
During her 14 years as a legislator and as a leader on the Local
Government and Government Operations Committees, she led the effort to
strengthen Vermont’s democracy by crafting and adopting innovative
campaign finance reform legislation and by continuously updating and
improving Vermont election law to make it easier for Vermonters to
register and vote, and to ensure the smooth administration of Vermont’s
elections.
 Chris Graff
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Mr. Graff has been selected as a
recipient of this year’s Medallion Award because of his many years of
service as a reporter and bureau chief of the Associated Press. The
free press serves an important role in our democracy by holding government
leaders accountable to the people, publicizing issues that need attention,
educating citizens so they can make informed decisions and connecting
people with each other in civil society. His commitment to accurate
and insightful reporting and his championship of open government has
helped to strengthen Vermont’s democracy for over 25 years.
The 2007 recipients of the
Vermont Secretary of State’s Enduring Democracy Award
are:
The Honorable John Hall
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As a member of the Access to
Election Advisory Group, former Representative John Hall of Newport has
provided invaluable assistance to the Secretary of State’s office as we
enhance voting options for Vermonters with disabilities. During
2006, his contributions helped the office as we made the Vote-by-Phone
option available for the first time. The generosity of his time and
effort strengthens our democracy for individuals with disabilities as well
as for all Vermonters.
 Janice Santiago
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As the Director of the Northgate
Residents’ Association in Burlington, Janice Santiago has worked
tirelessly to ensure that Vermonters in low income housing in Burlington
and across the state are aware of their voting rights. Because of
her efforts, hundreds of Vermonters registered to vote and then cast their
ballot on Election Day. Her enthusiastic commitment to democracy
will have an enduring impact in her community for years to come.
 Birdie Wyman
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As the Arlington Town Clerk for 23
years, Joyce “Birdie” Wyman has been a champion of democracy in her town
and a leader and role model for clerks across Vermont. Her hard work
and dedication has made the Arlington town office a shining example for
town officials across the state. Her enthusiasm for participating in
the civic life of the town inspired many members of the community to get
involved by voting and by volunteering. Her participation on the
Secretary of State’s Clerks’ Advisory Board, and with the Vermont
Municipal Clerks’ and Treasurers’ Association has demonstrated her strong
commitment to strengthening democracy throughout Vermont.
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