“We Won!” Neil Makhija Celebrates Double Emmy Win For Voting Rights Film

Photo: LinkedIn

India-West News Desk

PHILADELPHIA, PA — Montgomery County Commissioner Neil Makhija is now an Emmy Award winner — twice over.

Makhija’s six-minute video guest essay for The New York Times on voting rights and election integrity took home two awards at the 45th Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards: Outstanding Graphic Design—News and Outstanding Art Direction / Set Decoration / Scenic Design—Documentary.

“We won TWO EMMYS! ” Makhija wrote in a celebratory post on LinkedIn. “I’m still processing this incredible honor.”

The film, which features hand-drawn watercolor animation and evocative time-lapse sequences, highlights the hidden work of local election officials and debunks common myths about voter fraud. Makhija, who serves as Chair of the Montgomery County Board of Elections, uses his own experience to walk viewers through the many safeguards built into U.S. election systems — and the deeper, more troubling reasons behind the rise in election denialism.

“When I set out to create a voting rights film, I had one primary goal: to combat the lie that our elections are rife with fraud, and to inspire other local officials to play offense to protect the right to vote,” Makhija wrote. “At a time when misinformation is constantly spread by the most powerful people in the world, we chose not to grow tired, but to respond powerfully with truth and storytelling.”

Makhija governs Montgomery County, Pennsylvania’s most populous suburban county with 865,000 residents — more than four U.S. states and Washington, D.C. As Chairman of the County Commissioners, he oversees a $1.2 billion budget and leads over 3,000 employees across public safety, infrastructure, human services, the justice system, and elections.

The Emmy-winning essay was made in collaboration with Molly Crabapple, whose watercolor illustrations bring the topic to life, and the animation studio Sharp As Knives (Jim Batt and Max Boekbinder). The production was supported by democracyFIRST, a nonprofit working to empower local officials in the fight for democratic values.

Makhija dedicated the award “to the families of Senator Hoffman and Representative Hortman of Minnesota, and all the election workers and public officials who have risked their safety for our democracy.”

He also expressed deep gratitude to his family, colleagues, and collaborators, saying, “This recognition belongs to so many people… We honor them through our courage and commitment to the work of democracy, which is more than casting a ballot. It’s having the meaningful chance to shape our own future.”

With national recognition now behind it, Makhija hopes the film will inspire more Americans to engage with local democracy — and stand up for the truth.

Before entering public office, Makhija was a lecturer in election law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School and led Indian American Impact, a civic engagement nonprofit, as its executive director. He holds a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School and a Bachelor of Arts from Sarah Lawrence College.