ITHACA, N.Y. (WHCU) – A contest to boost civic engagement among Tompkins County high school students.

The Tompkins County Board of Elections is having an “I Voted” sticker design competition for young people in grades 9-12. Submissions are due by May 1st.

“We’ve seen great success in other communities with similar programs and can’t wait to see the artwork submitted by local students,” said Republican Elections Commissioner Alanna Congdon. “We’re looking for creative ideas to celebrate voting, and we encourage all students in grades 9-12, regardless of your artistic experience, to submit your designs.”

Artwork must be original, whether drawn by hand or created using a computer, and include the “I Voted” phrase somewhere visible on the standard sticker size, a 2- inch by 2-inch circle.

After all submissions are received, staff from the Tompkins County Board of Elections will select as many as six finalists to be voted on by the entirety of the Tompkins County community. The sticker receiving the most votes by county residents will be printed and distributed to all voters in the November 2023 general election.

“Initiatives like this are great ways to draw interest to elections in years when there aren’t presidential campaigns,” said Democratic Elections Commissioner Stephen Dewitt. “I think people will be excited about the young people who’ve shared their artwork with us to celebrate voting.”