To celebrate the 150th and 250th birthdays of Colorado and the United States, students from first through twelfth grades are invited to enter their original design in the “I Voted” Student Sticker Contest for the 2026 General Election. The El Paso County Clerk and Recorder’s Office will award two winners in each of three categories:

  • Elementary School (Grades 1 – 5)
  • Middle School (Grades 6 – 8)
  • High School (Grades 9 – 12)

“As we mark Colorado’s 150th anniversary and the 250th anniversary of the United States, it’s especially important to invite the next generation into our civic story,” said El Paso County Clerk and Recorder Steve Schleiker. “The ‘I Voted’ Student Sticker Contest gives students a creative voice in celebrating democracy and helps them see that voting is not just a right, but a tradition that connects our past, present, and future.”

The designs must incorporate themes related to these special anniversaries. The deadline for entries to be received by the Clerk and Recorder’s Office is Friday, April 24(?). Students attending public, private or home schools are eligible to participate in the “I Voted” Student Sticker Contest. To obtain the contest requirements, template, release form, and the address where entries should be mailed, students may contact their school’s administrative office or the Clerk’s Election Department at (719) 575-VOTE (8683), email: elections@elpasoco.com. Entries also may be dropped off at any County motor vehicle branch office.

The winning designs will be selected by the El Paso County Commissioners. “As we commemorate these historic milestones for Colorado and our nation, we are reminded that the strength of our republic depends on each new generation,” said Chair Commissioner Carrie Geitner. “This contest encourages civic awareness and creativity among our students while honoring the principles of freedom and self-government that are the foundation of our great nation.”

The selected stickers will be included in mail ballot packets for the 2026 General Election sent to active registered voters in El Paso County. The stickers also may be used for marketing materials and for future elections. Students with winning designs and their families will be guests for a tour of the Election Department. Each of the winning classrooms will receive a $100 gift card.

Information may be obtained by contacting the Election Department at (719) 575-VOTE (8683), email: elections@elpasoco.com.