Washington County Board of Elections Unveils Inaugural “I Voted” Sticker Designs Created by Local Students

The Washington County Board of Elections has announced the winners of its first-ever “I Voted” sticker art contest, a creative initiative aimed at engaging students from kindergarten through 12th grade in the electoral process. The contest invited participants from public, private, and home schools across Washington County to submit artwork for the official “I Voted” stickers that will be distributed to voters during upcoming elections. Designs were submitted across four distinct categories: Elementary School “Future Voter,” Elementary School “I Voted,” Middle School “I Voted,” and High School “I Voted.” The winning entries were determined through a public voting period held on the Board of Elections website, allowing the community to select their favorite designs.

The Elementary School “Future Voter” category winner is Ella Malott, a fifth-grader at Cascade Elementary School. Her design aimed to represent the American flag, the United States, and all its states, and she expressed excitement at the prospect of voters wearing her artwork. In the Elementary School “I Voted” category, the winning design was submitted by Finnegan Minnie, also a fifth-grader at Smithsburg Elementary School. Finnegan’s work incorporated local elements of Washington County, a result of his research into the area and its flag, and he conveyed surprise and happiness at his win.

The Middle School “I Voted” honor went to Martha Yost, a sixth-grader from Emmanuel Christian School. Martha noted that her teacher encouraged her participation and observed a high level of enthusiasm among her classmates for submitting designs. For the High School “I Voted” category, Kelly Nguyen, a senior at Barbara Ingram School for the Arts, was named the winner. Kelly’s design featured a young American Eagle, symbolizing freedom and opportunity, with the intention of inspiring young voters and emphasizing the importance of voting for shaping the future.

A ceremony was held at the Washington County Board of Elections headquarters in Hagerstown on February 24 to honor the winning students. Each recipient was presented with a framed certificate that included the first “I Voted” sticker produced from their unique design. Election Director Barry Jackson stated that these winning designs will now serve as the official “I Voted” stickers, allowing voters to proudly display their participation in Early Voting and on Election Day. He expressed pride in the opportunity to showcase the students’ artwork.

The upcoming 2026 Gubernatorial Primary Election is scheduled for Tuesday, June 23. All forty of Washington County’s polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. for Election Day voting. Early Voting will commence on Thursday, June 11, and conclude on Thursday, June 18. This early voting period will include weekend days. Voters will have access to four Early Voting Centers throughout Washington County: the Hagerstown Library, Boonsboro American Legion, Clear Spring American Legion, and the Washington County Election Center. While voters can cast their ballots at any of these Early Voting Centers, they must adhere to their assigned polling location on Election Day. Information regarding assigned polling places can be verified online at https://voterservices.elections.maryland.gov/Votersearch.

More than 30 designs were submitted for the contest. Election officials reported being impressed by the caliber and creativity evident in the student submissions. Although only one winner could be selected per category, all participating students were encouraged to be proud of their artistic contributions. The contest represents a long-standing objective of the Board of Elections to foster creative engagement with young voters.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from the Washington County Board of Elections

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