Connecting the Arts and Elections

The Art of Democracy was created by the Montgomery Election Center, a division of Judge Reese McKinney's office, during the 2008 election cycle. Using the Depression-era Works Progress Administration's civic art initiative as a template, Judge McKinney and Trey Granger, Director of Elections, invited renown artists to paint at polling places, rural and urban, on Election Day during the February Presidential Preference Primary.

Initially, fourteen local artists created mural-like renderings on masonite boards in four foot squares. Each work represents the diversity of our democracy. The collection embraces the unique aspects of community and the dedication of our “election family” especially the wealth of civic responsibility that is demonstrated on those Tuesdays we call Election Day.

The works of these initial fourteen artists, as well as additional works, hang in the Montgomery Election Center, and they shall be utilized to celebrate and contemplate the importance and historical significance of the arts, elections, and education in the community we cherish — Montgomery, Alabama.

The Montgomery Election Center has received local, state, and national recognition for The Art of Democracy. Most notably, the Montgomery Election Center received the "Best Practices in Election Administration" award, presented by the Election Center, a national organization of election officials. The Montgomery Election Center prevailed over dozens of entries from across the country, and accepted the award at the Election Center's national conference in San Diego.

• View "Art of Democracy" Book