News Room

SAINT PAUL – On June 11, 2024, Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon presented the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) Medallion Award to Mike Dean, former Executive Director of LeadMN, for his work to increase student leadership and voter participation on college campuses across Minnesota. The award honors Dean for his outstanding service and dedication to furthering the mission of NASS within Minnesota.

“Many thousands of Minnesota college students have been reached by the peer-to-peer network created by Mike Dean and his colleagues at LeadMN,” said Secretary Simon. “Using a train-the-trainer model, this work has not only grown awareness and participation in elections but given students valuable leadership skills that will undoubtedly benefit our state.”

Dean taught students how to host voter registration drives, create and distribute voter information on campus, create mini-sites on websites devoted to voter information, and engage with administrators and faculty to ensure students are supported. Additionally, he was a founding organizer of Minnesota’s Democracy Cup, the statewide collegiate voter turnout competition. 

"It’s an honor to be recognized by the National Association of Secretaries of State for what I consider my life’s calling: empowering young people to be active, informed, thriving citizens," said Mike Dean. "Minnesota has consistently led the nation in youth voter turnout, shattering the myth of young people's apathy. Our students not only outvoted the general electorate in 30 states but also surpassed the national voting average by a full 10 points." 

Photo: NASS Medallion Awardee Mike Dean and Secretary Steve Simon

About the NASS Medallion Award

The NASS Medallion Award is the highest formal honor that a Secretary of State can confer on a national level. It was created to honor individuals, groups, or organizations with an established record of promoting the goals of NASS in one or more of the following areas:

• Elections, with special emphasis on voter education and participation
• Civic education, including the teaching, promotion, and study of this subject
• Service to state government, specifically as it relates to the duties of the office of the Secretary of State
• A commitment to giving – a business or individual whose philanthropic contributions have significantly enhanced the quality of life in a local or regional area within a state, or within an entire state

Award recipients should reflect the mission, purposes, and objectives of NASS as outlined in the NASS Constitution, Bylaws, and other relevant NASS policies. They should also promote the same dignity, ideals, and stature that NASS has come to represent over the years.