Clerk/Register of Deeds Monica McMichael recognized the winners of the 2026 I Voted Sticker Contest at a Board of Commissioners meeting July 16. Pictured from left are Mia Neill, a student at Edwardsburg High School, Chloe Dennis, a student at Cassopolis High School and JaMya Hart, a student at Cassopolis High School. Not pictured is the fourth winner, Jade Leith, an Edwardsburg High School student.
CASS COUNTY, Mich. — Cass County voters will have four unique “I Voted” sticker designs to choose from when they cast their ballots later this summer, thanks to the creativity of four local high school students.
The winners of the 2026 Cass County “I Voted” Sticker Contest are Chloe Dennis and JaMya Hart of Cassopolis High School, and Jade Leith and Mia Neill of Edwardsburg High School. Their winning designs will be available at every Cass County polling location during the August and November elections.
Clerk/Register of Deeds Monica McMichael launched the contest in 2024 to encourage young people to become engaged in the democratic process and build excitement for voting long before they become lifelong voters.
“This is the second time that we have held a contest for I Voted stickers,” McMichael said. “I’m thankful for Edwardsburg Schools and Cassopolis Schools. They had teachers that championed this cause and got their students to participate.”
This year’s contest drew approximately 70 submissions from students across the county.
“I can tell you that all of the judges said they had a heck of a time deciding because there were such great submissions,” McMichael said.
The contest was judged by most of the local clerks in the county, county leadership and State Representative Steve Carra.
The winning students drew inspiration from the places and values that make Cass County and Michigan special.
“I wanted to do a drawing that represented not just Cass, but the whole state of Michigan,” Dennis said. Her design featured the state of Michigan, a lighthouse and apple blossoms, Michigan’s state flower.
Hart’s design featured a lake view with an artistic interpretation of the state with “Michigan” written along the southern border. She said she was inspired by one of Cass County’s most recognizable landmarks.
“I think Stone Lake Beach inspired me with the lake,” Hart said.
Cassopolis High School
Cassopolis High School
Neill’s sticker, which says “I Voted” over the silhouette of a man reeling in a large fish, incorporated a favorite local pastime into her artwork.
“I did what most of our town does — I did fishing because that’s a very popular thing in our town,” Neill said.
The fourth design, created by Jade Leith, featured a bald eagle dressed as Uncle Sam and the words “I Voted.”
Edwardsburg High School
Edwardsburg High School
McMichael noted that the contest’s success has extended beyond Cass County.
“The contest went so well in 2024 that the state followed suit and did their own contest, so we’re proud that we started it here in Cass County and grateful for talented high schoolers like you,” she said.
In addition to having their artwork featured on official Cass County “I Voted” stickers, each winner received a Certificate of Recognition, a letter from Rep. Steve Carra and a pin featuring the county seal.
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