WILLIAMSBURG — Students from across Williamsburg and James City County are on the ballot this month — not as candidates, but as artists — as the city opens public voting for its 2026 Vote Sticker Design Contest tied to next year’s election cycle.
The contest, launched in celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary, invited students to design official “I Voted” stickers in two categories: “Future Voter” for elementary school students and “I Voted” for middle and high school students.
Entries were submitted from April 13 through May 11 by students at Laurel Lane Elementary School, Matthew Whaley Elementary School, Berkeley Middle School, James Blair Middle School and Lafayette High School.
The Williamsburg Public Art Council narrowed the submissions to finalists based on creativity, clarity and how effectively the designs would translate to a small sticker format. The public is now invited to choose the winners through online voting.
Voting continues through June 12. Officials said only one vote per person will be counted, and submissions may be screened for duplicates, automated responses or other irregularities.
Winning designs will be printed and distributed by the city during the 2026 election season. Winners will be announced in June and recognized by the Williamsburg City Council in July.
The Williamsburg Public Art Council, established in 2021, oversees the city’s public art program, which aims to highlight Williamsburg’s identity and history while encouraging residents and visitors to engage with public art in civic spaces.
