A picture of four \"I Voted\" stickers.
The four finalists – each submitted by a VCU student or alum – in the inaugural “I Voted” sticker contest.

April 15, 2024

Richmonders, cast a ballot in a special election this month – and you can wear the winner this fall

City’s first-ever ‘I Voted’ sticker contest invited VCU students to pair artistic talent and civic pride.

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By Leila Ugincius

Richmonders won’t be sporting those boring old “I Voted” stickers during this year’s presidential contest, thanks to a very special, albeit different, election that starts today.

The City of Richmond Office of Elections and the Richmond Times-Dispatch are sponsoring the first-ever “I Voted” sticker contest, in which current and former Virginia Commonwealth University students were invited to submit designs of what voting means to them.

Officials decided to hold the contest exclusively for VCU students stemming “from a deep recognition of the unparalleled talent fostered within VCUarts and the significant role it plays in shaping the cultural landscape of our city and beyond,” said Keith Balmer, Richmond’s general registrar.

City public affairs specialist Selna Shi added that VCU students’ voter registration and voting rate is above the national average compared with other universities.

“While the contest was targeted toward VCUarts students, it was open to all VCU students regardless of their major,” she said. “There was not a doubt that VCU students would be excited for an ‘I Voted’ sticker contest.”

The city plans to host a new sticker design contest every presidential election year.

For this first competition, about 30 students submitted designs, which the Office of Elections staff narrowed down to the four finalists, based on creativity, uniqueness and originality.

Voting takes place through April 30. Check out the finalists below – and don’t forget to vote!

Tre Venable, 23

Red and blue text form a circle around a blue and white illustration of Richmond's skyline. The red text reads \"RVA\" and the blue text reads \"VOTES.\"
Tre Venable’s design aims to capture Richmond’s beauty and personality.

Herndon, Virginia

Major: graphic design, 2025

About the design: I love the Richmond scenery and just the juxtaposition of nature and architecture of it all. Along with the colorful personality of the people, I wanted to capture all of that with the Richmond skyline, incorporating the state Capitol and landmarks that make this beautiful city what it is.

I started with a loose sketch of what I see in Richmond and translated that through Adobe softwares, which led me to my final design. I would like to think having “RVA VOTES” brings people together in such a monumental yet subtle way, especially during important elections such as upcoming ones. Like I mentioned, I wanted to showcase the beauties of Richmond with the skyline; however, it’s the “RVA VOTES” that brings the personality back to the design.

Asia Rorick, 29

Spotsylvania, Virginia

A circle with an illustration of an opossum filling out a ballot with a pencil. Underneath, red text reads \"RVA * VOTES\"
Asia Rorick’s design incorporates both a retro style and Richmond’s unofficial animal mascot.

Major: communication arts, 2024

About the design: I wanted to channel things that I’d gained from — and loved about — Richmond into my design. One of my favorite things is how opossums are basically Richmond’s unofficial animal mascot, and I thought it would be a cute representation of local voters! I’m also an aspiring freelance illustrator, with a focus in children’s publishing, and had “I’m Just a Bill” from “Schoolhouse Rock!” stuck in my head while drawing, so I channeled some of that retro style into my design. “Schoolhouse Rock!” made civic education fun, catchy and accessible – and, in a similar way, is the meaning that I hope to convey to Richmond voters of all ages and walks of life.

Kansiny Nguyen, 26

An illustration of a robbin with starts over it's body and wearing blue glasses. In a text bubble the robbin says \"I VOTED\"
Kansiny Nguyen’s design features the cardinal, Virginia’s state bird.

Maryland and Virginia

Major: fashion design, 2021

About the design: My design is a star-spangled cardinal wearing blue glasses and stating, “I VOTED.” I came up with the design thinking about the Virginia state bird and the American flag. I wanted to add an American touch to the bird, and I hope people will find it compelling and mascot-friendly.

Gabriel Thompson, 21

An illustration of the richmond city skyline with text that says \"I VOTED\" above the city. A circle of stars surrounds the illustration. On the top half of the circle text reads \"1737-2024\" and on the bottom half text reads \"CITY OF RICHMOND.\"
Gabriel Thompson used an art deco-inspired aesthetic as part of creating a design that is “uniquely Richmond.”

Chesapeake, Virginia

Major: communication arts, 2027

About the design: My sticker design is inspired by Richmond’s bustling arts scene, the city flower and art deco. I felt that an art deco-inspired aesthetic with some hand-drawn elements best captured Richmond’s unique atmosphere and eclectic mix of modern and historic architecture. The color scheme of my design is inspired by the official city of Richmond flower, the iris, and in particular the native Virginia Iris species.

I wanted to create a design that was uniquely “Richmond,” so I focused not only on capturing the distinct aesthetic features of Richmond as a city but also on the sense of wonder and creativity that Richmond instills as a community. Voting to me is all about appreciating and advocating for your community. It’s easy to only think about voting on a national level, but local- and state-level policies are oftentimes the ones directly affecting our day-to-day lives.