GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Voters are heading to the polls, not only to cast their vote for their desired politician but to grab the limited edition “I Voted” stickers that won this year’s contest ran by the Michigan Secretary of State’s Office.
The agency said 480 designs were submitted from across the state for the 2024 election. Three were chosen from each category: elementary and middle school students, high school students, and an all-ages bracket. Nine winners were selected, and the different designs have been popular among voters.
The Friday before Election Day, News 8 headed to a Grand Rapids early in-person voting site to see which designs were the most popular.
While many people opted to skip a sticker all together, several went for the generic “I Voted Early” sticker. Of those who chose a new design, some were passionate about their choice and were eager to get their sticker, while others had no clue the new designs were the result of a contest.
Jackson Whitman chose the werewolf sticker because “it’s on John Oliver the past two, three months.” Whitman said that he was excited about the fun designs to change things up.
“I got the werewolf one because it was funny,” Andrew Burns said, adding that he thinks the contest was a good way to get kids involved and interested in the voting process.
While there wasn’t any hard data available, the city of Grand Rapids said the werewolf sticker seemed to be the favorite. Ionia County Clerk Greg Geiger told News 8 the werewolf sticker has been very popular among voters there, as were the “‘Fatcat’ and the ‘fish'” stickers.
Muskegon City Clerk Ann Meisch said that in her jurisdiction, the werewolf was a close second behind the lighthouse in terms of popularity.
“We never thought they would be so popular! People have contacted us who voted early in other areas who were without stickers and asked if they could come and get one of ours! I’ve never seen that before,” she said in an email.
Margarite Jenkins, who hasn’t voted in 10 years but came out to vote early in person in Grand Rapids Friday, chose the lighthouse sticker because “it’s pretty.”
“I like the lighthouse and I like the water,” she added.
Juan Ramirez also chose the lighthouse design. He said he liked all the different colors and how unique it was. Anne Donahue chose the “I’m cool. I Voted” sticker, saying it reflected her opinion. Other voters, like Annette O’Brien, went for the deer-themed sticker.
“It was just kind of a fun sticker. I’m not sure if it’s a dog or a deer, but it’s an animal of some sort. And I like the red, white and blue and the rainbow,” O’Brien said, adding that she loves that the contest got students involved and interested in the voting process.
Kalamazoo City Clerk Scott Borling told News 8 in an email that “some people don’t get the ‘OPE, I VOTED’ design at all, while others instantly get the reference to a uniquely Michigan expression. It seems to be one or the other, with no middle ground.”
Grand Rapids voter Mackenzie Bronkema picked the “Ope I voted” sticker. She said that it’s because it’s “applicable to Michigan.”
“We always say it,” she said with a laugh, adding that she thinks that the state should run the design contest again in the future.
Some voters couldn’t choose just one and ended up taking a few home.
“I chose the ‘Ope I voted’ (sticker) because ‘ope’ is very Michigan and I love saying it. And then I also got the cat sticker because we are cat people through and through,” Serena Chapman said.
“Perfectly said,” Brandon Joachin added.
They both agreed that the sticker artists did a great job.
“I want to collect them all,” Joachin said.
The desire to have more than one was a little bit of a problem in Battle Creek, City Clerk Victoria Houser said.
“As we did not receive enough stickers for all of our voters, we have had to ask some voters to put some back as they are taking one of every design. We are asking voters to only take one so that all of our voters may also choose one,” she wrote in an email to News 8.
While everyone has their own opinion on which sticker is the best, the general consensus was that the new stickers add a fun twist to voting this year.
“All my staff agree that the stickers have brought an element of levity and fun to the process and have given them an opportunity to connect with voters,” Borling told News 8 in an email.
Election Day is Tuesday.
