The Dutchess County Board of Elections is proud to announce its 2026 “I Voted” Sticker Design Contest! This contest helps educate our young voters and engage the community in the democratic process. We invite all Dutchess County youth age 9-18 to submit an original “I Voted” sticker design to be used in the 2026 General Election in Dutchess County voting locations.
Who can participate?
The contest is open to Dutchess County youth between the ages of 9 and 18 years old. Participants under the age of 18 must have parental or guardian consent to enter.
Employees of the Board of Elections and their immediate family members are not eligible to submit entries.
Rules:
- Entrants must submit an original “I Voted” sticker design by May 29th, 2026 to stickercontest@dutchessny.gov
- Design must be submitted as a PNG, PDF, or other photo file.
- Each participant may submit only one design.
- All submissions must:
- Be original work created by the participant
- Include the phrase “I Voted” which must be featured prominently and legibly
- Be appropriate for a general audience of all ages
- Not include political messaging, candidate names, or party logos
- Be submitted in a format that is compatible with a 2″ round sticker
Use of Submitted Designs
By entering the contest, participants allow the Board of Elections to use submitted designs for:
- “I Voted” stickers
- Promotional and educational materials
- Websites, social media, and press coverage
Publicity, Media, and Privacy
The Board of Elections may:
- Promote the contest through press outreach
- Highlight the winning design and designer in media coverage
- Use the contest to showcase “I Voted” stickers as a form of civic and community engagement
Participants (with parental or guardian consent for participants under the age of 18) agree that their name may be used for promotional purposes. In addition, participants agree that their school and/or organization may be used for promotional purposes, unless otherwise requested in writing.
Voting
The finalists will be selected by a panel which will include members of the Arts Community, the Board of Elections and County Executive Sue Serino, Chair of the Dutchess County Legislature, Yvette Valdés Smith, and Dutchess County Comptroller Dan Aymar Blair. Upon selecting the finalists, the public will be able to vote for their favorite online. To ensure fairness, online voting may be limited to one vote per IP address, and other technical safeguards may be implemented to prevent duplicate or fraudulent voting.