The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists (AAEC) has officially opened submissions for the 2026 Rex Babin Memorial Award for Excellence in Local Cartooning, an annual award dedicated to recognizing outstanding editorial cartoons focusing on local and regional issues.
Named in honor of the late Sacramento cartoonist Rex Babin, the award celebrates artists whose work addresses political and social issues at the state, provincial, or local level. Although Babin’s cartoons were syndicated nationally, he firmly believed that editorial cartoons could have their greatest impact close to home.
Throughout his career, Rex Babin demonstrated how powerful satire could be when aimed at local leaders and institutions. His distinctive drawing style made him one of the most recognizable voices in American editorial cartooning, and in 2009 he was elected President of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists.
“Rex Babin was one of the foremost practitioners of the local cartoon,” said Jack Ohman, Babin’s longtime friend and successor at The Sacramento Bee. “The AAEC once again honors Rex and his work with this Award.”
This year’s judging panel includes previous award recipients Clay Jones, Joel Pett, and Dennis Draughon. The winner will be announced during the AAEC Annual Convention, scheduled to take place from September 17–20, 2026, in Sacramento, California.
Who Can Enter?
The competition is open to:
- Editorial cartoonists and graphic journalists;
- Artists covering local, state, or provincial issues;
- Residents of the United States, Canada, or Mexico.
Membership in the AAEC or the Association of Canadian Cartoonists (ACC) is not required.
Submission Requirements
Applicants must submit:
- Ten editorial cartoons;
- A 150-word artist statement describing their work and its impact.
All submitted cartoons must have been published between June 2025 and June 2026.
Entries should be prepared in JPEG format at 300 dpi and sent via email to:
rexbabinaward@gmail.com
Judging Criteria
The jury will evaluate entries based on:
- Cartoons addressing local or state issues with strong political or social impact;
- Excellence in draftsmanship and originality of ideas.
Deadline
The deadline for submissions is Friday, July 24, 2026.
There is no entry fee.
Source & Entry Information
Official website of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists (AAEC):
https://editorialcartoonists.com/
Original call for entries:
https://editorialcartoonists.com/call-for-entries-the-2026-rex-babin-memorial-award/
Submission e-mail:
rexbabinaward@gmail.com
For additional information, artists may contact organizer Clay Jones at:
clayjonz@gmail.com
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