The real incentive for casting your vote in local elections? The free sticker. Columbia Public Schools (CPS) students had the chance to design their own “I Voted” sticker, one of which would be chosen to be the featured design on the 2020 Boone County voting stickers. Out of over 130 contestants, two Battle students, Audrey Cornell and Tanner Richardson, made it to the last round of selection, where students were then able to vote on their favorite design. 

“I think it is very important to be an active voter,” Richardson, 17, said. 

Voting stickers have been proven to boost voters’ sense of community, contributing to participation in following years. “I’ll be voting when I turn 18,” Richardson expressed. 

Cornell also said she is invested in voting and the democratic process in America. “I just learned about (the voting process) in history class. I just turned 17, but I’ll definitely be voting in the 2020 election.”

Not only did participants have to be invested in the voting process, they have to have an eye for art and design. While Richardson learned about the contest through his Career Center graphic design class, Cornell got the information from her history teacher Kelly Gaskins. According to Cornell, Gaskins offered extra credit to any of her students that submitted a design. 

“Our entire democracy unit was designed to break down the election process,” Gaskins explained. “Through this I hope students were able to make connections through their own life and become interested in the voting process.”

“What really inspired me was my love for calligraphy,” Cornell explained on her intentions with her design. 

Cornell’s design features sleek strokes of red and white in the background with a blue outline of Missouri on top. Then, in black handwriting, the words “I voted” were written. “It only took me one class period and all I did was hand draw it and submit it online.”

“I tried to take inspiration from previous stickers. I tried to keep it simple and appeal to all people,” Richardson said about his design. The sticker was indeed more simplistic, with a single red, white, and blue stripe in the background with the words “I Voted” in the middle with bold letters, on top of an outline of Boone County. 

On Nov. 19, after community voting was closed, the winner of the contest was announced. Cornell received the most votes, earning her design to be the face of the 2020 Boone County election stickers.

“I am beyond happy and surprised that I won and I couldn’t have done it without Ms. Gaskins and everyone who voted,” she said. 

To get your “I Voted” sticker next year, be sure to register to vote at https://www.usa.gov/register-to-vote.