As she considered how to design a sticker to be given out at polling places this fall, seventh grader Eleanor Hwang considered her parents.
Hwang’s parents are immigrants and she reflected on a trend she observed and considers to be troubling: Many immigrants in America don’t take advantage of voting, even though they’re U.S. citizens.
So, she drew a “Future Voter” sticker that had several hands raised in the air. Each hand represented a different race, and she used a yellow background.
Hwang’s design is one of two selected to be given out at polling places in the City of Fairfax, Virginia, this fall. Since 2020, the city said it has selected student designs for stickers to be given out to voters and future voters at polling places.
“Even though I’m not old enough to vote, I still have opinions on political issues,” Hwang said. “I want everybody to choose who they want to lead the U.S.”
Using the artwork, Hwang said she wanted to show that “no matter your background, your vote matters.”
The different skin tones, she said, are intended to represent equality.
Hwang said she was surprised when she found out she won, but was proud because of how many people would likely see the design.
For Hwang, equality means “everybody taking advantage of that opportunity and going out to vote and speaking what they believe,” she said.
Tenth grader Peter Choi, meanwhile, had the winning design for the “I Voted” stickers. His sticker includes the phrase “I Voted” with the city hall building in the background.
The contest was open to all City of Fairfax students, according to a news release.
“The entries were so creative this year,” said Megan DuBois, the city’s cultural arts manager. “The students really took their time and thought about what the election means to them and Fairfax. I was glad I did not have to choose a favorite because I loved them all.”
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