Eliza Pickrell Award - League of Women Voters of Jefferson County

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Eliza Pickrell Award

ABOUT

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The League of Women Voters of Jefferson County has launched a grants award program to encourage voter registration in Jeffco High Schools. Currently, any Jefferson County High School that registers at least 85 percent of eligible seniors in a given year qualifies for an Eliza Pickrell Routt Award, awarded by the Colorado Secretary of State. This year, the League is offering a $500 grant to the top three Jeffco high schools that qualify for the award. In addition, League volunteers will be available to visit area high schools in the fall to help register students to vote.

This award, created in 2016, is named after Eliza Pickrell Routt, the first woman registered to vote in Colorado after the state's passage of women's suffrage in 1893. The award is given annually to Colorado high schools that have 85 percent or more of eligible seniors registered to vote. Since its inception, 72 awards have been presented to Colorado High Schools, but only one Jeffco school — Columbine High School — has qualified for the award. With more schools having gained knowledge of the award, they are now creating groups and clubs to work toward the goal of getting at least 85 percent of seniors registered to vote.

In 2022, the State of Colorado passed a bill requiring area high schools to designate a Voter Registration Liaison to support voter registrations. For the past two years, the Jeffco League's High School Outreach Team has worked to assist Voter Registration Liaisons by offering presentations on the importance of voting and assisting with voter registration events. This year, the team is hoping the prospect of a $500 grant will provide an added incentive for schools to register their eligible seniors to vote.

Members interested in supporting this effort should email Mary Olson, at mcoalign@gmail.com.

GUIDELINES and APPLICATION

Guidelines for the 2025 Eliza Pickrell Routt Grant

Sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Jefferson County

The League of Women Voters of Jefferson County is offering a $500 prize to the top three high schools in Jefferson County that register at least 85% of their eligible seniors to vote!

Schools that register 85% or more of eligible seniors will be eligible to receive an Eliza Pickrell Routt Award from the Colorado Secretary of State and be entered to win the League’s $500 prize. Here’s how to win:

Hold a voter registration event (or events) at your school any time up to and including election day (November 4).
Eligible students who have not registered should complete a Voter Registration Form. Have seniors who have already registered complete and submit a signature card. This will help you to capture all the seniors who qualify for the award AND give the state additional signatures to use in voter verification. Be sure to keep track of how many seniors fill out registration forms or signature cards.
Promotional materials are available from the Jeffco League to help Voter Registration Liaisons build excitement around these events. You can access them on this webpage.
Deliver completed registrations and signature cards to the County Election Office at 3500 Illinois Street, Suite 1100 in Golden. These must be delivered within 8 days of your registration event(s).
If you believe your school has reached 85% (or more) of registered eligible seniors, complete and submit the online Eliza Pickrell Routt Award Application to receive the Secretary of State’s award!
Before you hit submit, print a copy of your completed Eliza Pickrell Routt Award application and mail it by November 20, 2025 to: League of Women Voters of Jefferson County, 10587 E Spanish Peak, Littleton, CO 80127.
The League will award a $500 prize to each of the top three schools who meet and/or exceed the 85% threshold. If more than three schools meet the threshold, prizes will be awarded to the three schools with the highest percentage of eligible Seniors registered.
The $500 prizes will be awarded to schools in December.
Voter Registration Liaisons and seniors may recommend how the money should be spent, with approval by the school principal

Volunteers with the League of Women Voters are standing by to assist with voter registration events and applying for the award. For help, contact: Mary Olson, Jeffco League of Women Voters, mcoalign@gmail.com.

EPR Grant Guidelines

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PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS

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Birthday Poster #2

Help Us Win Poster

LWV Jeffco
HS Grant Award

Four short videos to
promote the voter
registration grant
programs offered by
the LWV Jeffco.

Video Playlist

A Planning Calendar
to help you schedule
the voter registration
grant programs.

Promotion Calendar

Planning Calendar

A Press Release
to help you promote
your voter registration
event.

Press Release

Seriously register to vote