CONCORD, N.H. — Whether scenic or slightly sinister — angry werewolf, anyone? — the designs on the front of "I Voted" stickers are attracting a lot of attention this year.
But have you ever considered the back of your Election Day souvenir? "Garment-safe adhesive, it's incredibly important," said Janet Boudreau, one sticker designer. "You can ruin leather, silk, fine wool if you don't use garment-safe adhesive on any sticker that goes on fabric." Boudreau should know.
She designed the iconic sticker that has been a polling place staple for decades: a simple ellipse featuring a rippling red, white and blue American fl ag. And while the company she once owned now has competition, she is delighted by the new versions cropping up around the country, many of them designed by children. "I am all for it," she said.
"And I'm all for younger people getting involved and understanding the power of voting and having faith in it." Two years ago, a New York county's stickers featuring a wild-eyed crab-like creature created by a 14-year-old boy became an online sensation. This year the smash hit — one of nine designs distributed in Michigan — depicts a werewolf shredding its shirt in front of an American fl ag.
The 12-year-old Michigan designer declined an interview request, but other young artists described rewarding experiences. In Milton, New Hampshire, 10-year-old Grace was treated like a celebrity when she visited the polls for the presidential primary in January and town ele.