Alaska’s new ‘I Voted’ stickers celebrate women and highlight Native languages

The Alaska Division of Elections has introduced 13 new “I Voted” stickers for the 2020 election meant to show the “diversity, strength and power of Alaskan women.”

The artwork is by Barbara Lavallee, known for her watercolor paintings that depict diversity and life in Alaska. The stickers show a series of women in Native communities across the state; there’s also one representing urban areas.

The Division of Elections sought to highlight women’s long journey for the right to vote and to celebrate the courage of women past and women today, Director Gail Fenumiai said in an emailed statement Monday. This year is the centennial of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, which gave women the right to vote.

[2020 Alaska election guide: Where to cast your ballot, how to make sure it’s counted and how to learn about the candidates and issues]

The stickers are available in 10 languages: English, Spanish, Koyukon, Gwich’in, Aleut, Tagalog, Alutiiq, Northern Inupiaq, Nunivak Cup’ig and Yup’ik.

Voting stickers with artworks were also available in 2018 but only to early voters, said division spokeswoman Tiffany Montemayor. The stickers featured Alaska animals drawn by a Juneau artist.

This year’s stickers are also available in digital form so those who are voting by mail can print a sticker. A record number of Alaskans are expected to vote absentee this year amid the pandemic.

[No witness signature needed on absentee ballots, Alaska Supreme Court confirms]

Early voting in Anchorage begins at some locations on Oct. 19, and the general election is Nov. 3. To vote by mail, voters must request a ballot at least 10 days prior to the election.