For many, the thrill and pride of fulfilling their civic duty are what make voting exciting. However, for some individuals, the best part is the stickers, and this year’s designs from various states have certainly impressed.

Of course, that’s meant to be humorous. Voting is fundamentally important for our democracy. Yet, those stickers are a delightful bonus. Even President Joe Biden was seen wearing his during early voting this election cycle.

In Florida, counties such as Miami-Dade distributed red, white, and blue stickers emblazoned with “I VOTED!” in Spanish, English, and Haitian Creole. These stickers are not only charming but also reflect the diverse cultures of Miami’s residents.

Other states featured designs showcasing “I Voted!” over an American flag.

However, when stacked against Michigan’s werewolf voter sticker, these creations seem somewhat ordinary.

Michigan’s ‘I voted’ stickers

Michigan ran contests for locals to submit their designs for the 2024 “I voted” sticker, selecting nine winners to be given out to voters once they had cast their 2024 ballots.

The winners were grouped into three categories, with three designs chosen from each:

• Elementary and middle school winners: The werewolf sticker; a simple sticker with “I voted yay” on a blank background with some letters misspelled; and a sticker featuring a man saluting the flag with “I’m cool” at the top and “I voted” below it.
• High school winners: A sticker with a small figure surrounded by confetti stating “Hooray” with “I voted” below; one depicting a buck wearing multi-colored sunglasses and a baseball cap where “I” resembles the American flag, and “voted” is in red, white, and blue; along with a sticker showing “I voted” in beams of light emanating from a lighthouse against a sunset.
• General entry winners: A patriotic cat wearing a red, white, and blue top hat holding a sign that reads “I voted”; a sticker with “Ope, I voted” on a swirly red and purple background; and a fish with “I voted” on its scales.

“The wolf design is a favorite among many,” shared Mell Stoner, 18, a history student at Central Michigan University and a first-time voter.

The popular sticker features a burly werewolf flexing its muscles and howling against an American flag background while tearing off its tank top, with “I voted” written in bold red and blue letters above.

This eye-catching sticker was designed by a student from Brownell Middle School in Grosse Pointe, Michigan.

“I really like the stickers,” said Stoner. “It’s a fantastic initiative, and I’m glad they included participants from various age groups.”

Stoner’s preferred sticker is the fish, which has “I voted” inscribed on its scale, located next to the werewolf design. They appreciate that they and other Michiganders had the chance to vote on the stickers.

“This is a brilliant way to engage everyone in the election process without forcing politics on them,” they stated.

Stoner was among the very first to vote in the early election period, receiving all nine unique sticker designs.

North Carolina’s eye voted sticker

Some voters experienced surprise when they saw the peculiar stickers handed out after they cast their votes.

The sticker given to Kiersten Maresca, 30,

It wasn’t what she had anticipated. Therefore, she took to TikTok to share the amusing experience, and her video quickly gained popularity.

Kiersten Maresca expected to receive a typical “I voted” sticker adorned with the American flag, as she recounted to YSL News. However, her sticker was quite different.

“As I went to place my charming patriotic sticker, I noticed it,” she explained. “And I thought, ‘that looks like an eyeball.'”

The sticker featured a grotesque eyeball protruding from its socket, with pink and red tissue attached. This graphic image occupies most of the sticker, below which is written “voted.”

With a pun on “eye,” the sticker is more reminiscent of something from a horror film or Halloween event than a place where voting occurs.

“Did you vote at a Hot Topic?” joked one comment in Maresca’s video.

“Looks like they’re in a spooky mood over there,” another user commented.

Despite some viewers claiming she should be “grateful” for the quirky sticker, Maresca expressed her surprise at receiving it.

“It was such a shock,” she told YSL News.

A New Jersey native, Maresca recently relocated to Brunswick County, North Carolina, where she noted the locals appear to hold “very traditional” views. This was her first time voting there.

“I couldn’t believe that was the sticker,” she mused.

“I think I need to frame this now.”

A ‘patriotic’ Crawfish

Maresca isn’t the only one eager to preserve her voting sticker. Robby Marshall, a Baton Rouge native from Louisiana, also intends to frame his.

This year’s sticker “felt very personal to Louisiana,” Marshall told YSL News.

It showcases a red crawfish, which is iconic in the state, sporting a black top hat along with shoes and a white and blue suit.

“The crawfish wears a blue suit to symbolize the red and blue, which is still patriotic,” he noted.

The design was commissioned by Louisiana’s Secretary of State Nancy Landry, who invited Academy Award winner William Joyce, a native of Louisiana, to create the sticker for the 2024 election, as reported by Joel Watson, Louisiana’s Deputy Secretary of State for communications.

Joyce, recognized for his work in children’s literature, such as “Rolie Polie Olie” and “A Day with Wilbur Robinson,” transformed the conventional “I voted” sticker for the 2024 elections.

“It’s very distinctive,” Watson commented. “Most stickers from various states are unique in their own right, but this design is truly one of a kind.”

Feeling Hopeful

Besides the design, Marshall cherishes his sticker for what it symbolizes and the optimism he feels regarding this year’s election.

“For me, it was the opportunity to vote for the first female person of color for president,” Marshall expressed. “That’s a significant milestone.”

In 2016, Marshall aimed to keep his sticker from voting for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, but he was disappointed when his polling place ran out of them at the time.

“Regardless of the outcome for [Kamala Harris], I contributed to the process.”