NASS 2026 Winter Conference Highlights

For Immediate Release
Feb. 4, 2026

Washington, D.C. — The National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) held its 2026 Winter Conference Jan. 28-31 in Washington, D.C. 30 Secretaries of State and two Lt. Governors were joined by an audience of nearly 400 people. Attendees were comprised of senior state and federal government staff, as well as nonprofit, private sector representatives and national media. Bipartisan discussions throughout the meeting addressed election administration and security, international relations, business services, state records management, civics and other relevant topics. 

Highlights from the conference include the following:

Cybersecurity Tabletop Exercise — On Jan. 28, NASS hosted a ransomware focused Tabletop Exercise (TTX). It was sponsored and facilitated by Halcyon, a NASS Corporate Affiliate. Members and staff were able to participate, and the exercise helped facilitate nuanced discissions around incident response and information sharing.

NASS Elections Committee — During the Jan. 29 meeting of the NASS Elections Committee, state Chief Election Official (CEO) members and attendees received updates from Senator Alex Padilla, Ranking Member of the Senate Rules Committee and former California Secretary of State; Mr. Jared Borg, Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs; and U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) Chairman Don Palmer and Commissioner Tom Hicks. Mr. Borg and EAC representatives shared updates on their work at the national level, followed by a question-and-answer opportunity with committee members following their respective remarks.

John Lewis Youth Leadership Award — The John Lewis Youth Leadership Award is a way for NASS members to recognize gifted, civic-minded young people in their states each year. A video recognizing the 2025 recipients from across the country was played for conference attendees, which can be found here. Learn more about the award on our page.

Margaret Chase Smith Award — Nominated by Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt, the 2025 Margaret Chase Smith award for political courage was given to the Benedictine Sisters of Erie, who used their platform to combat false election information and promote civic engagement during the 2024 election. The award was accepted during a luncheon ceremony by Sister Linda Romey, Benedictine Sisters of Erie’s Coordinator of Communications and Development. Read the Jan. 29 award press release here.

National Groups Showcased — During a lunch, 14 national groups registered to feature their organization, mission, resources, and engagement opportunities for states. NASS members and conference attendees were able to learn more about the organizations’ civics-related work. We appreciate the following groups for joining us for the event: Bipartisan Policy Center, Brennan Center for Justice, Center for Ballot Freedom, Center for Civic Design, Center for Tech & Civic Life, Election Reformers Network, Electronic Registration Information Center, iCivics/CivXNow, Institute for Responsive Government, Nonprofit Vote/National Voter Registration Day, Protect Democracy, Public Citizen and VoteMate. The EAC also registered for this lunch event to highlight their numerous federal resources and programs geared toward state and local election officials. Please note, NASS does not endorse the registered organizations nor their positions or products.

Germany Reception — The German Ambassador hosted NASS Members and all conference attendees for an evening reception at his official residence on Jan. 29. NASS appreciates Ambassador Jens Hanefeld’s hospitality. This reception follows a NASS delegation to Germany in September 2025 (release with more information here).

For a full list of speakers and presentations, view the full conference agenda here.

Positions — The following were approved by the membership at the Business Meeting on Jan. 31:

·       NASS Resolution on State, Local and Federal Responsibilities for Election Reform

·       NASS Resolution on Threats of Violence Toward Election Officials and Election Workers

·       NASS Resolution on Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Financial Assistance after a Disaster

Corporate Affiliate Issue Papers — NASS Platinum and Gold Level Corporate Affiliates are able to submit issue papers for the conference showcasing their expertise: Civix, CT Corporation, Docusign, ES&S and Northwest Registered Agent.

Announcements: 

NASS 2026 Summer Conference — The conference will be held in Rapid City, South Dakota, hosted by South Dakota Secretary of State Monae Johnson, from July 14-17. Future NASS conference details will be featured on our event page as they become available.

IDEAS Award Finalists — Four state finalist programs were selected by NASS Members for the Innovation, Dedication, Excellence and Achievement in Service (IDEAS) Award:

·      Connecticut - Next Gen Elections: College Students Powering the Polls

·      Iowa - Upholding Election Security: Election Guidance for Iowa Law Enforcement

·      Vermont - Statewide Online Vermont Voter Guide

·      West Virginia - WV Centurion Chamber of Commerce Program

The finalists will be invited to showcase their state’s original programming during the NASS 2026 Summer Conference. Members will then vote and the selected state will receive the award in Rapid City.

View photos from the NASS 2026 Winter Conference on the association’s Facebook, Instagram and X pages.

###

Media Contacts:

Maria Benson, Senior Director of Communications
mbenson@nass.org | 202-624-3528

Brittany Hamilton, Communications and Special Projects Manager 
bhamilton@nass.org