Forsyth County election office wins statewide EAGLE award for secure voting

Forsyth County voters are seeing their election office singled out statewide for the secure procedures that keep ballots moving cleanly from check-in to tally. The Georgia Secretary of State’s office presented the county with the Election Administration Golden Leader in Excellence, or EAGLE, award in Cumming, recognizing the work behind the scenes that local voters rely on every election cycle.

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and State Elections Director Blake Evans visited the Forsyth County Department of Voter Registrations & Elections to present the award, which the state said honors innovations, achievements and best practices that help ensure safe, secure, accessible and accurate elections. Forsyth County was recognized specifically for election security and innovation, along with clear training, policies and attention to detail.

For county leaders, the award was less about ceremony than confidence. Commission Chairman Alfred John praised elections director Mandi Smith and her staff for continually updating poll workers and employees with new technology and training so elections can run accurately and securely for Forsyth residents. The department says its mission includes protecting the security and integrity of elections, encouraging voter participation, providing customer service and maintaining public confidence through education.

The recognition also reflects the scale of the challenge in one of Georgia’s fastest-growing counties. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated Forsyth County’s population at 280,096 in July 2024, up from 251,283 in the 2020 Census, a jump of 11.5%. That growth has pushed election operations, staffing and polling logistics into sharper focus, especially as the county has seen high turnout and close attention on how voting is conducted.

State officials said Forsyth County helped test Georgia’s new voter registration system, GARViS, and that county leaders invested in a state-of-the-art elections facility. Those upgrades matter far beyond election night. They shape how ballots are handled, how chain-of-custody procedures are documented, how tabulation checks are performed and how transparently the process can be explained to voters who want proof that the system is working.

The award was also part of a broader state effort. The Secretary of State’s office said the EAGLE award would be presented monthly in 2024 to counties that show excellence in election operations. In Forsyth County, that excellence is already being tested in practical ways. County officials said they needed more than 600 poll workers for the 2026 election cycle, and Smith has said those workers are critical and nonpartisan to smooth, fair and accessible elections. The county also sought public input in 2025 on advance voting locations because construction was expected to affect where residents could vote. In a county where growth keeps changing the map, the award signals that election security is being matched by the planning needed to keep every step of the process visible and dependable.