With one day left before the 2024 presidential election, tensions are high as millions of Americans anxiously await results on polling day. However, there is one thing making us, and fellow Michiganders, actually excited to get to the polls– the State’s first “I Voted” stickers. It is refreshing to see such a creative and fun way to get people excited about voting.
The state of Michigan held a contest for elementary through high school students across the state, giving students the opportunity to see their artwork displayed on voters’ shirts and social media pages statewide. Over 480 designs were submitted to the “I voted” sticker contest. Michigan residents were invited to participate in voting, with a total of 57,700 votes by the end of the selection period. Winners spanned across three categories: elementary and middle school, high school and general entry, which included all ages.
While in-person voters are still welcome to grab the traditional, flag-adorned “I Voted” sticker, many adults statewide have flaunted their student-designed stickers all over social media after casting their vote. This has not only drummed up excitement from Michigan voters, but also people across the country, as voters recall the variety of voting stickers distributed in 2020.
Stickers from 2020 weren’t as fun as this year’s selection, since they didn’t include stags wearing Pit Viper glasses or stick figures saluting a crooked flag. However, any switch from the uniform sticker seems to provide a sense of excitement as people leave the polls.
We might be nervous about the results of Election Day, but we can’t wait to get our hands on these stickers for ourselves. We, like many others, are going to keep an eye out to snag some of our favorite designs when we hit the polls on Tuesday.
One coveted design has been the desire of many West Michigan voters: the werewolf. This sticker is one of our favorites. The penciled illustration features a werewolf tearing its shirt to shreds in front of a black background that’s adorned with the American flag. At the top of the sticker, it reads, “I VOTED.”
The werewolf sticker, which has received recognition nationally from media organizations like Last Week Tonight, the Washington Post and the New York Times, was made by Jane Hynous at Brownell Middle School. Hers was one of nine winning entries.
FOX17 went so far as to publish an article specifically on this decal, noting that 60,000 of the unique, hand-drawn stickers were ordered by Ottawa County alone. Seeing as GVSU is in Ottawa County, there is a good chance we might get to take home our very own peel-and-stick, shirt-shredding, ferocious yet spectacular voting werewolves.
Other top stickers for us include the “I voted, yay” sticker with a backwards “e,” and the psychedelic “Ope, I voted” sticker that highlights classic Midwestern slang.
We think the sticker contest was a genius opportunity to get kids and young adults involved in political activism, whether they’re five or 15 years old. The contest is a nice nod to the impact of voting. While eligible adults are making the calls, the contest showcases that kids are not only affected by voting, but are also able to make a difference through their contributions. Hopefully, as they grow up, the children involved in such contests will be interested in understanding the political system.
This lighthearted focus on stickers has removed a bit of the tension regarding the election itself, which the American Psychological Association cited as being one of the top sources of stress reported this year. In an increasingly divisive country, where the majority of political ads no longer focus on positive values, an air of positivity is needed for many adults. What better place to find it than through future voters?
