It’s a heartwarming experience to walk around on Election Day and see people sporting an “I Voted” sticker. Nothing about a particular candidate. Just an indication they participated in this big ol’ engine of democracy.
The origins of the patriotic adhesive is murky at best, with outlets like Time tracing it back to the early 1980s in Florida and the Miami Herald noting that an “I Have Voted” sticker was used in the city as early as 1950. Either way, the oval indication you receive after casting your ballot is long overdue for an upgrade — a challenge that Milwaukee’s very own National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum was proud to take on.
This morning, our neighbor in Walker’s Point unveiled what it says is the very first “I Voted” sticker bobble. “The patriotic decal has been a symbol of Election Day for decades,” National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar said in a release, “and we are confident this bobble will be a must-have for voters of all ages.”
Obviously, the new offering isn’t a “bobblehead,” because there is no head. Rather, it gives off kind of a fidget toy vibe and is just begging to be adhered to your desk (kinda like a sticker) so you can sproing it from side to side.
The bobble uses the same recognizable design seen on stickers every Election Day, with the “I Voted” message alongside a rippling American flag. That creation sprung from the mind (and drawing skills) of Janet Boudreau, who came up with it in 1987 as a way to remind people about their civic duty. “It wasn't a 24-hour news cycle back then,” she told AARP Magazine recently, “so you could easily miss Election Day … and if you missed Election Day, you could regret it.”
The sticker might win when it comes to portability, but the bobble has durability going for it. Plus, you’re much less likely to put it through the laundry and ruin a perfectly good shirt.
The new “I Voted” sticker bobble is available for pre-order now through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s online store at a cost of $25 for a 4-inch version and $15 for a 2-inch version.
