CONTACT: Susan Melnyk, Chief Communications Manager, (360) 867-2097 or susan.melnyk@co.thurston.wa.us

County Wins 30 National Awards for Innovation and Efficiency Despite Budget Constraints 

OLYMPIA – Thurston County government today announced it has received 30 Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NaCO) - an independent organization that evaluates local government innovation and public service excellence. The awards recognize ground-breaking and effective county government initiatives that directly improve quality of life for citizens.

The honors included major wins from the County’s Public Health and Social Services Department which hauled in 10 awards and the County Auditor’s Office which earned five. 

“As our state and county face challenging budget realities, this Board has been clear about prioritizing people and maintaining mandatory public services,” said Chair of Thurston’s Board of County Commissioners, Tye Menser. “County employees don’t just work here, they live here, raise their families here and care deeply about their neighbors. These awards really highlight that our staff are finding creative ways to stretch every taxpayer dollar further.”

Public Health and Social Services earned recognition for putting resources to work where they will provide immediate health and safety benefits - including real-time tracking of local spikes in respiratory illness to help provide faster alerts, youth vaping prevention, supportive lactation services, and a gun lock-up safety campaign that provides free locks to the public.

“I’m inspired by the true servant hearts of our employees,” said Thurston County Manager Leonard Hernandez. “Our teams are short-staffed, facing tight budgets as the state and federal government cuts tens of millions of dollars in funding that directly impacts our local people and programs even as we work to bridge our own structural deficit. Yet heavy state and federal requirements remain, and our teams continue innovating and finding ways to make life better for the people who live and work in Thurston County. These staff members are public servants to the core, and this national recognition shines a light on their hearts and their hustle.”  

The County Auditor’s Office brought home five awards for their pioneering efforts to safeguard ballot integrity and provide unprecedented frontline access to the voting process for the County’s more than 200,000 registered voters. Their award-winning work includes:

• The “Path of the Ballot” educational initiative that demystifies the complex journey from vote to tabulation. 
• The Ballot Processing Observer Corridor which gives voters front-row access to witness tabulation and signature verification firsthand.
• The Housing Justice Forum in collaboration with University of Washington which uncovered more than 1,700 racially restrictive covenants on property titles and helped owners remove them.
• Language Access Initiative which helps alleviate the heavy burden from children acting as translators for their parents is a line-by-line Spanish Passport Guide that helps native Spanish speakers navigate federal processes independently.

Thurston County Auditor Mary Hall - whose office won five NaCO awards this year and five in 2025 - said the win represents the County’s commitment to public service and democracy. “Our staff are working hard to serve everyone who comes through our doors and to protect our democratic systems,” Hall said. “From translating passport form instruction, to creating a secure public observation corridor at our ballot processing center, to pioneering integrated election security, we are delivering the kind of radical transparency and absolute integrity the public deserves. This recognition belongs entirely to a dedicated team of professionals, who show up every day to build public trust.” 

The County’s other award-winning initiatives span life-saving health programs, vital infrastructure upgrades as well as critical improvements to roads and public safety. Officials say staff - spurred by reduced budgets and a “do more with less” mentality have continued to bring ideas for operational improvements and cost savings that not only keep public service counters open, but also improve accountability, transparency, and access to government services. A few of the people-focused, community-centered programs recognized this year include:

Pre-hospital point of care ultrasound initiative – the first of its kind in Washington state – which equipped all 80 County paramedics with compact ultrasound technology to detect internal injuries before reaching the hospital to speed care when it matters most.

• Project SAFER – a communication model helping first responders provide more effective and compassionate care to people with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
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• Resource Hub Block Party is the largest social services fair in County history, and is shattering traditional barriers to help by connecting more than 500 residents face-to-face with vital everyday resources in a stigma-free environment. 

To see the full list of the County’s 2026 NaCO Awards and learn more about these innovative programs and the services behind them, visit www.thurstoncountywa.gov/thurston-county-awards