Designed by local tamariki, the “I Voted” sticker design project is a new collaborative initiative between Wellington City Council and Tawa Intermediate School so voters who drop-off their papers at special voting hubs can leave wearing a one-of-a-kind “I Voted” sticker while stocks last.
The idea is simple – partner with a local school from the community where voter turnout has traditionally been lower, and work with students to create the official “I Voted” stickers for the 2025 campaign. What may look like a colourful classroom art activity is in fact a creative way to start conversations about local democracy.
From pencils to voting bins
Earlier this year, Council engagement staff visited Tawa Intermediate School to run a workshop with students. The interactive session included an activity where students were invited to act as ‘mock councils’, working in small teams to learn about the role of council and then collaborating to create and balance budgets with community aspirations.
Armed with pencils, markers, and their imagination, students were prompted to think of their favourite place in Wellington and set about creating their own personalised version of the sticker.
Tawa Intermediate School teacher Connor Harrison says the initiative was a fantastic opportunity as it provided insight into how local government works and the election process.
“The class was fascinated by their budgeting lesson, and afterwards they completed their stickers to be used for the upcoming local body elections in 2025,” says Connor.
The “I Voted” stickers designed by the students have been turned into more than 4,500 stickers and 24 different designs, which will be available at special voting locations and events across Wellington.