Election Specialists Receive National Certification

Fairfax County Office of Public Affairs
12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 551
Fairfax, VA 22035-0065
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Aug. 23, 2006

Two County Election Specialists Receive National Certification

Fairfax County Election Specialists Katheryn Mickey and Sonia Skipper have completed the necessary course of study to become certified elections/registration administrators (CERA), the highest professional achievement for elections and voter registration officials. The Election Center held graduation ceremonies last week in Chicago.

Of the more than 21,000 elections and voter registration officials throughout America, only 371 have achieved CERA status. There are currently only six CERA-certified election officials in Virginia; three are in Fairfax County. Election Manager Judy Flaig received her certification in 2004.

Mickey, who joined the Fairfax County election staff in 1997, is responsible for polling place operations, which includes the testing and deployment of voting machines. Skipper has been part of the election staff since 1999 and is responsible for managing the department’s information technology programs, including the Web site and the election returns system.

“CERA is the highest designation available to elections and voter registration officials,” said R. Doug Lewis, director of the Election Center. “It takes an unusual commitment to have several people within an office pursue a demanding and challenging educational program. It also assures Fairfax County that the very best in management techniques, technologies and processes will be implemented.”

CERA designation is achieved through a multi-year course of study conducted by The Election Center’s Professional Education Program and taught by the masters in public administration faculty of Auburn University. The intent of the program is to professionalize the management of voter registration and elections administration in promoting and preserving public trust in the democratic process. The Election Center is a nonprofit association of voter registrars and elections administrators throughout America.

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