Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum has announced an art contest to encourage students to get involved in the democratic process.
The contest invites young artists to submit their designs for a new “I Voted” sticker. The winning design will be featured on stickers that will be distributed to local clerks for use in future elections.
The “I Voted” sticker is a popular tradition in the United States, where voters are given a sticker after casting their ballot. Byrum says the sticker serves as a badge of honor and reminds others to vote as well.
"I think by talking about the 'I Voted' sticker and the importance that people have with this sticker, and the importance it is to exercise one's right to vote, I think students will start to understand and hopefully will start to develop the habit of voting," she said.
The contest is open to young artists throughout Ingham County, and information on how to submit entries has been distributed to art teachers in the county.
“We have so much artistic talent and creativity in Ingham County, and I am looking forward to all the submissions,” said Byrum. “This is an excellent opportunity to get young people involved in elections in a new and creative way.”
The design of the sticker has to be 2" x 3 " in full color and submissions must include the name of the artists, the artist's year of birth and their contact information. Artists can submit their designs at clerk@ingham.org by April 30, 2023. Winners will be announced on May 15.
Byrum is also considering a run for Michigan’s 7th Congressional District.
The Democratic nominee for the district remains undetermined now that Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin is running for the U.S. Senate next year. The race for the district is expected to be competitive.
Before being elected the clerk of Ingham County, Byrum represented the 67th district in the Michigan House of Representatives and chaired the House Elections Committee.
“It's an amazing honor to be asked to consider it and I am taking a look at the race," she added.
Former Republican state Senator Tom Barrett and Lansing Mayor Andy Schor are also considering a possible run for the 7th District.
