Stevens County Named ‘County of the Year’ by Secretary of State

Officials from the Office of the Secretary of State visited Stevens County on July 28, to formally recognize the county as the 2025 County of the Year.

According to Secretary of State officials, this award is given annually to counties demonstrating “exceptional leadership and results in cybersecurity readiness and collaboration.” Assistant Secretary of State Kevin McMahan stated that the choice was clear this year, “There was no question – Stevens County stood out as the clear forerunner for this recognition.”

McMahan, who presented the award on behalf of Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, said that Hobbs was regretful he could not attend in person. He praised Stevens County’s Information Technology staff; not only for their internal excellence, but for their regional support efforts, particularly when assisting a neighboring jurisdiction during a cybersecurity emergency leading up to the 2024 General Election.

Trevor Sellars, Stevens County’s Director of Information Services, accepted the award on behalf of the County. “Nothing like this is possible without an amazing staff – they are the ones who should be congratulated,” Sellars said. He emphasized the strength of the county's IT team and its collaborative relationships with other area IT directors through ACCIS, the Washington State Association for County and City Information Systems.

Sellars also spoke about the county's regional approach to cybersecurity, explaining that “There’s been intentional effort toward unifying the technologies used by different counties so that professional expertise can be shared in times of need or disaster. Having separate but similar systems actually becomes a strength. It’s a thoughtful approach to resilience.”

Joining McMahan in Colville were Stuart Holmes, Director of Elections, and Angel Olivas, Senior IT Security Analyst. Holmes and McMahan traveled from Olympia, while Olivas joined from the Secretary of State’s Eastern Washington regional office.

During the ceremony, Holmes took a moment to recognize Stevens County Auditor Lori Larsen, who was previously named the 2024 Auditor of the Year by the Secretary of State’s Office. Holmes said, “Stevens County exemplifies professionalism, preparedness, and innovation. Auditor Larsen’s team consistently goes above and beyond in service to their community.”

Commissioner Monty Stobart noted that it was refreshing to receive such a positive presentation and recognized the value of celebrating the County's accomplishments. Commissioners Young and Burrows both expressed appreciation for the visit and extended congratulations to the larger Stevens County team.