A Bug And A Feature: 'I Voted' Sticker Contest Draws Attention

ULSTER COUNTY, NY — Voters casting ballots in August primary and November general elections in Ulster County will be receiving a brand-new "I Voted" sticker.

Which sticker that will be handed out is also up to people in Ulster County.

Ashley Dittus and John Quigley, commissioners of the Ulster County Board of Elections, decided to have a contest for the second year in a row for a new sticker design.

This year they narrowed the finalists down to submissions from six teenage students ranging in age from 13 to 18.

"We want to thank all of the students who contributed to this project," the commissioner said. "There were many amazing and unique designs! We are grateful to everyone that helped shape this project."

Voting will close July 29, according to election officials. The design that gets the most votes will be distributed to those who participate in the Nov. 8 election.

In a surprise announcement Tuesday, Dittus and Quigley said that any of the six stickers that receive more than 1,500 votes by 5 p.m. July 29 — with the exception of the winning sticker — will be printed and handed out for the Aug. 23 election.

Dittus said it's been fun seeing people react to the contest.

"We started this program to bring young people into the election process in a fun way and we have certainly accomplished our goal this year," she said.

Quigley made a pitch for people to work as election inspectors who would get to hand out the new stickers this year. The county needs up to 700 part-timers to work the elections.

"This sticker contest has given us an opportunity to express the importance of running free and fair elections, he said.

See the finalists and vote by going to this website.

What is interesting in this local effort to engage the public is how one of the designs has become viral, even making its way to The New York Times and The Washington Post.

Hudson Rowan, 14, of Marbletown, drew a six-legged spider-like creature with multi-color "hair" and toothy grin, blood-red eyes and a pink and purple body.

Written next to the creature are the words "I VOTED."

Rowan's submission leads the votes by an overwhelming margin. As of Tuesday, he has received about 163,300 votes or 93 percent of the 174,700 total votes. Wendy Stewart, 14, also of Marbletown, is in second place with 3 percent of the votes, and Kaden Bredberg, 18, of New Paltz, has 1 percent.

Barring a dark-horse winner — or a bigger, badder spider — Rowan will likely maintain his lead.

And he has developed an international fan base thanks to his drawing.

Pete Potipcoe, a radio personality in Canada, wrote on Facebook that "SOMETIMES THE INTERNET DOESN'T SUCK," adding that Rowan's "ridiculous design" gives him "faith in humanity!"

Galaxy Glue said on Twitter that Rowan was crushing it in the contest and "is my hero."

And Ian Pickus, news director of WAMC/Northeast Public Radio, said on Twitter that it was unusual for him to take sides in a local election, "but if your votey mcvoteface doesn't support Hudson Rowan in this poll, we'll need the MyPillow guy to investigate."