In true 2020 fashion, voting this year looks a little different from election years in the past. One of the many changes include not getting the famous “I Voted” stickers at the polls, but voters across the country have been persistent and found other ways to show off their voting pride with stickers.
The announcement that no one would get stickers at the polling place came in a press release by Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin in order to prevent spread of COVID-19.
However, Secretary of State’s office created downloadable versions of the sticker that can be found on their website. The stickers, once downloaded, can be used as screensavers or on social media. When posting the stickers on social media, voters are encouraged to include #GeauxVoteLouisiana in their captions.
If a digital version doesn’t quite do the trick for you, you can still get physical versions from outside sources. These include local artists, the Voter Sticker Project and, as a last resort, in bulk on Amazon.
When she heard stickers would not be handed out at the polls, LSU alumna and Louisiana native Ha-Vy Nguyen decided she would create her own designs for the election and sell them online.
“I have always thought the regular stickers are not that cute and I figured this year since they aren’t doing them at all, I might as well make ones that I actually think look good,” Nguyen said. “I decided to make cuter ones that are a little more minimalist.”
Nguyen created four designs featuring a pelican, the New Orleans skyline, the Louisiana State Capitol and a picture of the state with a fleur-de-lis inside of the “O” in “I Voted.” Some stickers also feature varying color schemes, including some with purple and gold for the LSU Tigers. Nguyen said if she gets enough sales for her stickers, she plans to donate the proceeds to the American Civil Liberties Union.
If you aren’t from Louisiana or looking for a cheap alternative, the Voter Sticker Project has you covered. Started in 2018 by Greg Sarafan, the Voter Sticker Project is an initiative to make sure all voters get an “I Voted” sticker to show off.
It’s a fairly simple process. All you have to do is send a message to @VoterSticker on Twitter telling Sarafan where you’d like him to send the sticker, and he sends it. The process is entirely free for those who want stickers– Sarafan sends the stickers anywhere and everywhere.
This election cycle, the Project has sent over 1500 stickers all across the United States and to several other countries, including Canada and Denmark. Because he sends to so many places at no cost, Sarafan has set up a GoFundMe to help with the costs.
“An ‘I Voted’ sticker is an ephemeral symbol of pride and a fleeting indicator of someone’s commitment to civic engagement,” Sarafan said. “Additionally, studies show that ‘I Voted’ stickers actually increase voter turnout.”
If you’re looking for a collection of “I Voted” stickers, another option is to buy in bulk from Amazon. However, packs from Amazon typically only come in sets of 500 stickers. Unless you plan on handing them out to fellow voters, this probably is not the best way to get your sticker.
The “I Voted” stickers are iconic and promote civic engagement in an incredibly simple and stylish way, so don’t be sad that you couldn’t get a sticker; there are plenty of options besides the polling place.
