One of the hallmarks of a U.S. election - whether it's a presidential year or not - is the presence of "I voted" stickers handed out at polling places. If you're part of a local election board, you should make sure locations in your jurisdiction have ample stock when it's time to vote, in primaries and general elections alike. With a presidential contest fast approaching, there's no better time to reexamine your stickering strategy and make sure you're ready to send voters home glowing with civic pride.

What's the History of 'I Voted' Stickers?

Colorful stickers have not always been part of the election routine but today, when people often post pictures of their stickers to social media such as Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, they're a fully ingrained and highly visible symbol of democracy in action. The San Francisco Gate noted that these stickers were first mentioned in the media in 1982, when several local election commissions where giving them out and some businesses were using them as a way to give discounts to civic-minded customers.

The Gate noted that ordering the stickers has become a complex process for election authorities in large cities, because they are not distributed by a central agency but rather purchased by each area's supervising group. Election day is not the cutoff for when to receive the stock, either: People who vote by mail typically also receive stickers, which means the election authority has to have them ready by the time the postal ballots go out.

San Francisco State University professor Rebecca Eissler told the Gate the stickers act as a tangible reward for civic participation. Though they are small and don't have intrinsic value, the stickers help create a feeling that voters are a part of something larger than themselves.

What are Some Creative 'I Voted' Sticker Designs?

The fact that there is no centralized source for "I voted" stickers has an upside - you can create distinctive and interesting visuals for your town or city's stickers. The U.S. Election Assistance Commission spotlights regions that work hard on their designs, and these can act as jumping-off points for your own next order. For example, the EAC Clearinghouse Award Winners in 2019 include a red, white and blue diamond from Clark County, Nevada, that highlighted the Las Vegas Strip skyline with a patriotic twist. Louisiana went for a crowned pelican and the state seal, while Alaska included cartoonish local animals on its 2018 designs.

Joining Clark County are two other areas of Nevada, Douglas County and Washoe County. Douglas featured a rider on horseback and the state outline along with a braille version of the "I voted" message while Washoe included a skyline, a mountain and red, white and blue stripes. Each design reflects its area, while still carrying the same general information.

The winners of the EAC contest demonstrate that the real way to stand out in election paraphernalia is to make the designs reflect the personality of your town, city or state. Even if you opt for a simple and standardized look, however, the quality of your election day stickers should be high, to ensure voters can wear them with pride all day.

Why Should You Work with an Expert Sticker Printing Partner?

Whether you're responsible for a large or small area, and regardless of if the particular event you're preparing for is a local primary or the general presidential election, you need to have the right quantity of high-quality "I voted" stickers on time. Expert printing partners such as Lightning Labels can provide the exact match for your needs. Lightning Labels offers numerous shapes and sizes of dies to support any creative design you come up with for this year's stickers. All-digital printing processes enable rapid turnaround times and flexible order sizes, so if your area is rural and contains a relatively small population, you won't have to make a large order that will leave you with many unused stickers.

Lightning Labels has spent nearly two decades creating custom stickers and labels for brands and organizations of all kinds, and the combination of high-quality materials, simple ordering procedures and responsive customer service can help your local election authority get its sticker orders squared away before the polls open. Great-looking "I voted" stickers can make sure residents walk away with a smile after doing their civic duty.

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