N.H. holding a contest for grade-schoolers to design new ‘I Voted' stickers
Curious about what makes a winner? Previous winning designs have drawn from iconic New Hampshire imagery: a
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The three winning designs -- all created by New Hampshire fourth graders -- in the "I Voted" sticker contest held in late 2023.
Courtesy New Hampshire Secretary of State's Office
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The hand-drawn designs must include the phrase 'I Voted' and be drawn on a 2-inch-wide template provided by the secretary of state's office. Offensive or partisan messages will not be accepted, and each student may only submit one design with parental permission.
The competition was launched in 2023 when Deputy Secretary of State Erin T. Hennessey realized the idea could help increase civic engagement among students in New Hampshire.
'I can't wait to see what our fourth- and fifth-graders submit this year,' she said.
This is the second time the state is holding such a competition, and this year the theme is 'Celebrating 250 Years of New Hampshire History!' Participants are also encouraged to consider places that have shaped the state's identity, important events, and anything that makes New Hampshire unique.
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HAMPTON, NH - 1/23/2024 Bart Bartelsman wears an 'I voted' sticker designed by a NH 5th-grader while monitoring the ballot boxes at the Winnacunnet High School in Hampton, NH for the New Hampshire Primary on Tuesday. Erin Clark/Globe Staff
Erin Clark/Globe Staff
A panel of local election officials will select four winning designs by judging their creativity, inclusivity of all voters, and focus on New Hampshire. The stickers will be distributed to voters during statewide elections in 2026.
In New Hampshire's 2024 presidential primary, voters
'The sticker I got for voting was crazy cool,' one Concord voter told the Globe.
In 2024, the state spent about $10,000 printing 2 million stickers and distributing them to polling locations around the state, according to Hennessey, who estimated that would be enough stickers to last for the rest of the year.
The stickers were also distributed in the 2024 state primary and general election, Hennessey said.
This story appeared in Globe NH | Morning Report, a free newsletter focused on New Hampshire, including great coverage from the Boston Globe and links to interesting articles elsewhere. To receive it via email Monday through Friday,
Ten-year-old Grace, of Milton, N.H. shows her contest winning "I Voted" sticker in her homeschool classroom, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in Milton. Grace's design, inspired by a framed image of New Hampshire's famed Old Man of the Mountain at her home, features the landmark with an American flag in the background.
Charles Krupa/Associated Press
Amanda Gokee can be reached at
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