[CRAIG NIGRELLI]

IT HAS BECOME PART OF THE VOTING PROCESS. YOU CAST YOUR BALLOT AND THEN

YOU PICK UP YOUR “I VOTED” STICKER.

EVEN PRESIDENTS GET ONE AFTER VOTING AT THEIR POLLING PLACE – SIGNALING AMERICAN TRADITION THAT IS STICKING AROUND.

BUT HOW DID THIS STICKER SHOWING A RIPPLING US FLAG ATTACH ITSELF TO U.S. ELECTIONS? IT ALL STARTED WITH A SKETCH ON A DINING ROOM TABLE 37 YEARS AGO.

JANET BOUDREAU OF CHAPEL HILL NORTH CAROLINA IS THE MASTERMIND BEHIND THE NOW ICONIC I VOTED STICKER.

IN A RECENT INTERVIEW WITH A-A-R-P, BOUDREAU EXPLAINED THAT SHE THOUGHT OF THE DESIGN IN 1987 – SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING AN ELECTION SUPPLY BUSINESS FROM HER FATHER FOR ONE DOLLAR.

AT THE TIME – THE COMPANY ONLY HAD THREE PRODUCTS – BUT SOON SHE CHANGED THINGS UP – CREATING A LINE UP OF ONE THOUSAND PRODUCTS INCLUDING BALLOT BOXES AND SECURITY SEALS –

BUT IT TURNED OUT – IT WAS ONE OF HER FIRST FIVE IDEAS SHE CAME UP WITH THAT TOOK OFF – THE I VOTED STICKER.

BOUDREAU SAYING BY 2000 – HER COMPANY WAS SELLING MORE THAN 100 MILLION STICKERS IN EVERY MIDTERM AND GENERAL ELECTION YEAR.

NOW BOUDREAU’S STICKER WASN’T THE FIRST “I VOTED” STICKER – SHE EVEN RECALLS SEEING A BLACK AND WHITE DESIGN BEFORE SHE EVENTUALLY DREW HER OWN.

AND HERS WAS CERTAINLY NOT THE LAST.

TAKE FOR EXAMPLE, THE WEREWOLF STICKER DESIGN THAT THE MICHIGAN SECRETARY OF STATE WORE ON HER SHIRT AS SHE GAVE ELECTION UPDATES MONDAY.

“The other thing I saw when I was around the state this week was the popularity of these unique ‘I voted’ stickers that were designed by Michigan artists. There’s10 of them total and everywhere I went it was really interesting to see who chose what. But above all, the hugest hit was the sticker that comedian John Oliver called ‘the greatest sticker ever designed,’ the famous Michigan voting werewolf sticker. Voters are loving them.”

AS STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS RECENTLY REPORTED – THE WEREWOLF STICKER WAS CREATED BY A 12-YEAR-OLD JANE – WHICH GARNERED THE MOST VOTES WITH MORE THAN 20,000 STATEWIDE AMONG THE NEARLY 60,000 VOTES CAST. 

ONE VOTER  EVEN SHOWING OFF THE STICKER TO VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS.

THEN THERE’S 10-YEAR-OLD GRACE IN MILTON NEW HAMPSHIRE  WHOSE I VOTED STICKER DEPICTING THE STATE’S FAMED OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN ROCK FORMATION – WON A CONTEST FOR FOURTH GRADERS.

AS FOR BOUDREAU, SHE TELLS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SHE IS ALL FOR THE YOUNGER GENERATION CREATING NEW I VOTED STICKERS AND UNDERSTANDING THE POWER OF VOTING.

BOUDREAU MAY HAVE SOLD HER COMPANY IN 20-15 BUT SHE STILL IS ABLE TO SEE HER FINEST CREATION EVERY TIME SHE GOES TO THE VOTING BOOTH – TELLING A-A-R-P  “GROWN ADULTS ENJOY GETTING STICKERS. THAT JUST MAKES ME HAPPY.”

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M CRAIG NIGRELLI.

FOR MORE OF OUR ELECTION COVERAGE DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP