The importance of an ‘I Voted’ sticker
The small but impactful tradition means much to many
By DONALD WILBURN
donaldfwilburn@gmail.com
For many, the simple act of receiving an “I Voted” sticker after casting a ballot has become a treasured ritual. It’s a badge of honor, a public display of civic pride, and for some, it even holds sentimental value, serving as a physical reminder of their participation in democracy. These small stickers have come to mean more than just proof of voting – they’re part of the voting experience itself.
Take the story of Dr. Alfreda Robinson, a local community leader and city council candidate, who made it her mission to ensure that no voter was left without this symbol of civic engagement. Dr. Robinson was inspired by a touching encounter at a polling place where an 82-year-old man shared his disappointment after discovering that his polling station was not giving out the coveted stickers.
“He has his stickers from every election since 1961,”
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City council candidate Dr.
Alfreda Robinson made sure that everyone who wanted the coveted stickers got one even when they weren’t available at polling locations.
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Robinson recalled. “The man was genuinely upset. I asked him for his name and address, and told him I’d see if I could get him one.”
Moved by his dedication, Robinson took matters into her own hands. With the help of her sister’s printing company, DYP (named after the company’s founders Danielle, Yvonne, and Paul), she printed a batch of stickers to distribute. But it wasn’t just about providing stickers to everyone – it was about making sure this particular voter received his.
“I went to his house to personally deliver them,” said Robinson. “When he opened the door, I held up the stickers in front of me, and you would’ve thought he won the lottery! He was so happy. He showed me his notebook where he had collected every sticker over the years, each one carefully placed with the election date written beside it. That’s when I truly understood how important they are.”
Robinson stressed that her gesture wasn’t about winning votes, but about honoring a tradition. “If it’s important to him, it’s important to me,” she said. “He offered to pay me for the stickers but I told him the smile on his face was payment enough.” Yet not everyone shares this sentiment. Some polling locations have chosen to forgo giving out stickers due to logistical challenges. A representative from First Baptist Church, said that they stopped distributing the stickers after complaints about finding them stuck on windows, walls, and even cars.
“We found them everywhere, and it was often difficult to remove them,” said the church official. “We decided it wasn’t worth the hassle.”
Still, for voters like Lorraine Hodges, who has been collecting her “I Voted” stickers for over two decades, the absence of the sticker leaves a void in her Election Day experience.
“I know it’s just a sticker, but it’s a part of the process,” Hodges said. “It’s like the icing on the cake after you vote. I even save mine and put them in a scrapbook alongside pictures of my kids at the polls with me. They are grown now and getting stickers of their own. They’re little memories of a big moment.”
For many, the sticker is not just a piece of adhesive paper – it’s a tangible reminder of the importance of voting and participating in the democratic process. While some polling locations may stop distributing them, the demand for “I Voted” stickers, and the emotions attached to them, show no signs of waning.
In the words of Dr. Robinson, “It’s not about the sticker itself. It’s about what it represents – a small, but powerful symbol of our right and duty to vote.”
