Washington, D.C. – The Republican National Lawyers Association (RNLA) is pleased to announce that its sixth Robert J. Horn Chairman’s Award will be bestowed on Bilenda Harris-Ritter during the 21st National Election Law Seminar in Phoenix, Arizona on August 12-13, 2022.
The Robert J. Horn Chairman’s Award is an award presented to individuals for nationally distinguished service to the citizens of the United States of America for protecting the honesty and accuracy of elections. It is presented in honor of the late Founding Chairman, who succeeded in significantly advancing the integrity of elections throughout his professional lifetime by founding and promoting the Republican National Lawyers Association.
RNLA Chair Harmeet Dhillon explained: “Bilenda’s hard work as leader of RNLA’s Arkansas Chapter exemplifies the spirit of the Chairman’s Award. We appreciate her dedication to RNLA and the safety and security of Arkansas’ elections.”
RNLA President David Bowsher said: “Bilenda is well-deserving of the 2022 Chairman’s Award. She has grown the RNLA Arkansas Chapter to be one of our most active groups. Her commitment to RNLA and preserving the integrity of Arkansas’ elections is inspiring.”
RNLA Executive Director Michael Thielen added: “It has been a pleasure working alongside Bilenda for the past several years. Her experience with Arkansas elections and commitment to election integrity has been an invaluable asset to RNLA.”
Bilenda currently serves as Chair of the RNLA Arkansas Chapter and as the Republican Designee on the Arkansas State Board of Election Commissioners.
Throughout her legal career, Bilenda has worked on a variety of issues advising and representing Republican candidates, deploying out of state for election days and recounts and participating in election day operations, recounts, and legal education presentations on election law issues in Arkansas.
Bilenda currently serves in the Office of the Adjutant General of Arkansas as the State Attorney for the Arkansas Department of the Military.
Bilenda previously lived in California where she was appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as legal advisor to the Chairman of the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB)for the State of California. Governor Schwarzenegger later appointed her as a Commissioner on the California Board of Parole Hearings.
Past recipients of the Chairman’s Award include Justin Riemer (2021), Harvey Tettlebaum (2020), Anne Lewis (2019), Ron Hicks (2018), and Manuel Iglesias (2017).
RNLA is the national organization of Republican attorneys. The mission of RNLA is to advance professionalism; open, fair, and honest elections; career opportunity; and Republican ideals. For more information, please visit: http://www.rnla.org.
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