News and Updates
Press Release

IFES Announces U.S. Recipients of 2017 Democracy Award

Published

To RSVP for the 2017 Charles T. Manatt Democracy Awards and Baxter Award Dinner, please click here.

The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) will honor former IFES Board of Directors Vice Chair Judy Black (R) and Congressman David Price (D-N.C.) with its 2017 Charles T. Manatt Democracy Award. They will be joined by the international recipient of the 2017 Charles T. Manatt Democracy Award, His Excellency Luis Almagro, secretary general of the Organization of American States (OAS), and Tamar Zhvania, chairwoman of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Georgia and the 2017 Joe C. Baxter Award honoree. 

The honorees will receive the awards at a special ceremony to be held on October 2 in Washington, D.C. The ceremony will be co-chaired by IFES Board Director and Connecticut State Treasurer Denise Nappier and IFES Board Director and Foley & Lardner LLP partner Cleta Mitchell. Cook Political Report Editor and Publisher Charlie Cook will emcee the ceremony. 

Judy Black is a government relations policy director at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, where she helps corporations, trade groups, and nonprofits navigate and participate in the public policy process. Previously, she was vice chair of the IFES Board of Directors, where she served for 22 years (1995-2016). Black also served in the White House from 1987 to 1989 as special assistant to President Reagan for intergovernmental affairs. She served as co-chairperson for Women for McCain in the 2008 U.S. presidential election and now serves on the International Republican Institute’s Board of Directors. Black has also served as chairman of the Board for the American Council of Young Political Leaders and participated in delegations to China, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, South Korea, and other countries as a representative of the organization. 

“Judy Black has a lifetime of experiences embodying the vision and values of IFES through her dedication to ensuring there is a vote for every voice and served as an exemplary Board member for more than two decades,” said IFES Board of Directors Chairman Ken Blackwell. “Her commitment to global democracy and empowering women to be leaders is inspiring and should be recognized,” Blackwell added. 

“I am so honored to receive IFES’ 2017 Democracy Award as I know firsthand the great work of so many individuals working with IFES to expand democracy through free and fair elections. The work is vitally important in these especially challenging times,” said Black. 

Congressman Price was first elected to Congress in 1986 and was previously a professor of political science and public policy at Duke University. He currently serves as the only member of the North Carolina delegation on the House Appropriations Committee and is the Ranking Democrat on the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee. He is also a member of the Appropriations subcommittees, covering homeland security, State Department, and foreign operations funding. Congressman Price was the executive director of the Democratic Party’s Hunt Commission on Presidential Nominations, which was set up in 1981 to change the way the party selected presidential candidates. In addition to his committee leadership, Congressman Price is also a recognized leader in foreign policy, co-chairing the House Democracy Partnership, which he helped launch to strengthen parliaments in emerging democracies around the world. 

“David Price’s tireless efforts to strengthen democratic institutions are evident in his long history of public service and commitment to expanding the House Democracy Partnership,” said IFES Board of Directors Co-Chair Don Sweitzer, adding, “His work in Congress has been critical to the success of the global democracy movement.” 

“Over the years, IFES has been a stalwart advocate for free and fair elections, a principle which stands at the cornerstone of democratic governance around the globe,” said Congressman Price. “In the fight to support and strengthen effective, independent, and responsive democracies, I am honored to count IFES as a vital ally and partner.” 

The Charles T. Manatt Democracy Awards are presented each year to a Democrat, a Republican and a member of the international community who demonstrate the dedication to democracy and human rights embodied by the award’s namesake, former IFES Board of Directors Chairman Charles T. Manatt. The annual Joe C. Baxter Award recognizes the contributions of election professionals whose skills, dedication and sacrifices to the field of election administration epitomize the mission of IFES and embody the spirit of former IFES Senior Adviser for Election Administration Joe C. Baxter.

Previous U.S. recipients of the Democracy Award include Representative Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas); Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.); Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.); Representative Ed Royce (R-Calif.); Representative Steny Hoyer (D-Md.); Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.); Senator Richard Durbin (D-Ill.); Representative Kay Granger (R-Texas); Representative Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.); Representative David Dreier (R-Calif.); Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.); Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.); Representative David Obey (D-Wis.); Representative Lee H. Hamilton (D-Ind.); Senator Richard G. Lugar (R-Ind.); Representative Tom Lantos (D-Calif.); and Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla.).

 

###

 

As the global leader in democracy promotion, IFES advances good governance and democratic rights by providing technical assistance to election officials; empowering the underrepresented to participate in the political process; and applying field-based research to improve the electoral cycle. Since 1987, IFES has worked in over 145 countries, from developing democracies, to mature democracies. For more information, visit www.IFES.org.