Democracy Summit 2024: Task Force for American Democracy honors ‘unsung heroes of democracy’

ABA President Mary Smith presented eight organizations and 14 individuals with the ABA Unsung Heroes of Democracy Award for advancing the cause of protecting American democracy across the nation.

The presentation took place on Aug. 2 during the ABA’s inaugural Democracy Summit.  Developed by President Smith as a signature initiative of her term, the summit addressed threats to democracy and the role of lawyers in ensuring democracy.

The award recipients are Arizona Native Vote Election Protection Project; Braver Angels; Center for Election Innovation & Research; Committee of 70; Equip for Equality; Keep Our Republic; New York City Bar Association Task Force on the Rule of Law; North Dakota Native Vote; Bob Bauer and Ben Ginsberg (Washington, D.C.); Katherine Culliton-González (Silver Spring, Maryland); Gent Haviari (Dartmouth, New Hampshire); William J. Kresse (Chicago, Illinois); Michael Stiegler (Washington, D.C.); Christine Torbett (Columbus, Ohio); Suzanne Spaulding (Washington, D.C.); Robert Weisenbach (Erie, Pennsylvania); Cathy Darling Allen (Shasta County Clerk and Registrar of Voters, Shasta County, California); Bill Gates (Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, Phoenix, Arizona); Michella Huff (Surry County Board of Elections, Dobson, North Carolina); Stephen Richer (Maricopa County Recorder, Phoenix, Arizona); and Meagan Wolfe (Wisconsin Elections Commission, Madison, Wisconsin).