For Immediate Release: 9/18/2024 9:18 am
WORCESTER, Mass. – The City of Worcester Cultural Development Division and Election Commission announced Wednesday the winners of the “Create the Vote” campaign.
After a three-week public campaign, 10 designs from nine Worcester artists were selected to reimagine the stickers voters receive after casting their ballots on Election Day and for mail-in voting. The winning artists were selected based on a five-day public Facebook voting period, which saw more than 1,500 votes cast on the designs of 22 semifinalist artists.
The creators of the winning designs will each receive a $300 prize. The winning designs will be available in English, Mandarin, Portuguese, Spanish and Twi for in-person and mail-in Worcester voters featuring the phrase, “My vote counts.” Translation will be provided with the stickers to encourage cultural competency and raise awareness of some of Worcester’s most widely spoken languages.
The following artists are selected winners
Artist Caelin Olson shared that her design captures the essence of the Worcester skyline where, “City Hall stands as a symbol of our civic spirit and collective voice, while the train station embodies our connections to the wider world, linking us to Boston and beyond.”
Artists Kate and Greg Opperman included the Burnside Fountain, known colloquially as “Turtle Boy,” in their design, with a twist.
“The fact that the turtle and the boy are both holding ballots highlights that every vote counts and encourages folks to vote with their friends and family,” the duo said.
Youth participants were also encouraged to apply and share their creative perspective despite not being able to vote. Youth artist Jorgea Nico chose to utilize Massachusetts’ official state dog, the Boston Terrier.
“The dog is wearing an American flag top hat and bandana to be in the spirit of the election. The border is surrounded by May flowers, which are popular in Massachusetts,” said Nico.
The winning designs and translations may be viewed on the City of Worcester website at https://www.worcesterma.gov/cultural-development/cultural-projects.
