Elizabeth Ojo designs voting sticker for kids
Voting season is back. But is it really official without receiving an “I voted” sticker?
For Seguin High School sophomore Elizabeth Ojo, the answer is no. Even for those who are ineligible to vote.
That’s why she combined childhood memories with her art expertise to design a sticker for future voters. It wasn’t just any sticker either. It was an award winner. As the winner of the Dallas County I Voted Sticker contest, her sticker will be given to kids who join their parents when they vote at over 350 voting locations.
“My inspiration was my childhood,” Ojo said. “Whenever I went to voting polls with my mother, I always wanted a sticker for myself. She would always give me hers, but I didn’t want to take that from her, so I decided to make a sticker for kids to have like I wanted when I was younger.”
Ojo created the “I wanna wear a I Voted Sticker too” sticker as a project for her digital arts class.
“I wanted to think outside the box on this one,” she said. “I wanted to do something different from the usual red, white and blue. It feels good knowing that kids across Texas will be able to proudly wear a sticker, too. I hope it shows the kids that they can use their voice to make decisions that they think is best.”
She was also honored by the elections department earlier this month at the County Commissioners Meeting.
“Seguin Nation is so proud of Elizabeth and her accomplishment,” said Seguin principal Billy Linson. “Her ability to think creatively to connect on the level of an aspiring child voter while utilizing her weak hand for the drawing was well thought out and executed to a tee.”
After loving art since she was a toddler, the experience feels unreal.
“It feels good, but I just can’t believe it,” Ojo said. “The feedback I received from my peers in class was positive, but I was unsure if my art would be able to become something more than just a piece. I’m glad to have something that shows that people enjoy my work and sends a message.”
With plans to collect a sticker herself, she hopes this is just the beginning.
“It’s exciting to see your work being produced and shared,” she said. “I hope this little thing turning big will lead me to a future where I can continue to share my work.”
Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 5, and polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Click this link to see the list of polling locations on election day. For early voting locations, click here.