Many voters enjoy getting a sticker after casting their ballot. This election, voters in Jackson County have a chance to snag an exclusive, hand-drawn sticker by a 6-year-old Jackson County citizen, Wesley Nielheisel.
Nielheisel attended Fun 4 Kids Day Camp this summer hosted by the Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department and the local 4-H cooperative extension. Civic engagement was a large focus of the camp.
The campers heard from the county manager, board of elections and learned the county animal shelter.
Board of Elections director Amanda Allen places an importance on voter education, no matter how young.
The campers were tasked with designing their very own “I voted” sticker.
“We provided all of the kids with a template that was just a big circle, and we talked to them about what voting is, what kind of symbolism is around voting and then just set them loose,” said Allen.
Wesley enjoyed coming up with his very own design for the sticker.
“I just decided I would do red, white and then blue because that’s how people say it in order,” Nielheisel said. “Then I decided to write I voted because it’s an American sticker.”
The Jackson County Board of Elections selected the top three sticker designs. Then voting was put in the hands of park visitors.
Jackson County voters can look forward to receiving the winning sticker at all precincts across the county.
Nielheisel wants to be an artist when he grows up and he is looking forward to seeing voters wearing the sticker he designed.
“We really wanted our kids to come away from this feeling empowered, that even if they have 10, 12 years before they are going to be able to cast a ballot their opinions and their questions and their concerns really matter,” Allen said.
Fun 4 Kids Day Camp is an 8-to-9-week program held at the Jackson County Recreation Center and the Cashiers/Glenville Recreation Center. The camp is open to children from kindergarten through sixth grade.
