Carroll County voters will get to pick more than candidates in upcoming elections. After casting their ballots, voters will be able to choose from among the four winning designs for the 2026 Carroll County Board of Elections “I Voted” sticker.
Entrance eligibility for the county’s biennial sticker contest was extended to adults this year, creating four age-group categories: elementary school, middle school, high school and adults. After the Board of Elections staff from across the state voted for their favorite designs, the public weighed in. The winners were announced Friday.
Jennifer Lleras, 41, of Hampstead, won the adult category. The Board of Elections will not disclose the names of the children who won their age-level contests.
Nineteen stickers were entered for the elementary-aged category, 15 for middle schoolers, 17 high schoolers and two adults. The first sticker design contest in Carroll County was held in 2023 for the 2024 election and had 17 entries.
“There were so many more entries, so it was harder to choose the finalists,” said Mia Faber, election program supervisor for the Carroll County Board of Elections.
Faber said the contest saw a 64% increase in the number total votes since the previous competition in 2024.
Lleras said, “Anytime you can use creativity to get people excited about … civic duty and voting,” is a great opportunity.
Her winning sticker shows a Maryland blue crab wearing an Uncle Sam hat and holding a Carroll County flag in its claw while voting. She is also going to create a sculpture for a Carroll County car show in the summer after winning a competition to design the contest’s trophy.
Lleras owns Hampstead Marketing & Design and said she has been an artist her whole life. She has created local murals and founded the Hampstead Community Garden.
The elementary winner for the “future voter” sticker drew a Maryland blue crab on the Maryland state flag. On the crab’s shell, the child wrote, “Future voter Carroll County MD.”
The middle school winner drew a Maryland flag with the words “I VOTED” laid across the state flag. The artist filled the words “I VOTED” with an American flag pattern.
The high school winner drew a Baltimore oriole perched on a branch with a Maryland state flag background. “I VOTED!” sits above the bird’s head.
Elementary school student winner of the 2026 Carroll County Board of Elections’ “I Voted” sticker contest winners. (Carroll County BOE/Courtesy)
Adult winner of the 2026 Carroll County Board of Elections’ “I Voted” sticker contest winners. (Carroll County BOE/Courtesy)
High school student winner of the 2026 Carroll County Board of Elections’ “I Voted” sticker contest winners. (Carroll County BOE/Courtesy)
Middle school student winner of the 2026 Carroll County Board of Elections’ “I Voted” sticker contest winners. (Carroll County BOE/Courtesy)
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