For Immediate Release: 9/1/2020 10:25 am
The City of Worcester’s Election Commission and Cultural Development Division have partnered on an effort combining paid local art opportunities with voter activation.
Residents of Worcester are invited to submit designs reimagining the sticker voters receive after casting their ballots on Election Day. Submissions must be received by 12 p.m. Monday, Sept. 14. Finalist designs will be selected and shared on social media for public voting to determine winners. Voting will close Wednesday, Sept. 16 to meet printing and mailing deadlines. Winning designs will be available in multiple languages for in-person and mail-in Worcester voters. Creators of winning designs will each receive a $300 prize.
According to City Clerk Niko Vangjeli, “Over 20,000 Worcester residents have requested to vote by mail. All Vote-By-Mail materials for the November election must be mailed by early October.”
“Given how soon the 2020 general election is, we have a short turnaround time for this particular project, which is the first step of a longer-running voter engagement initiative,” said Yaffa Fain of the Cultural Development Division.
Using the phrase “My vote counts,” Worcester designers are encouraged to submit their designs in English and additional languages. Correct translations of the selected phrase into Worcester’s most widely spoken languages are listed below.
“By working with the phrase ‘My vote counts’ rather than ‘I voted,’ this initiative includes those who haven’t voted before, as well as those not yet old enough to vote in 2020,” said Nikki Erskine of the Cultural Development Division. “In this way, this call to artists is not just to create a souvenir, but to create an empowering statement of intent.”
Worcester residents may submit up to three designs through a Google form, which includes full project details and criteria: https://forms.gle/69WPwbQTbWTSo4UP9
Language Text as one line Text as multiple lines
English My vote counts My vote
counts
French Mon vote compte Mon vote
compte
Polish Mój głos się liczy Mój głos
się liczy
Portuguese Meu voto conta Meu voto
conta
Russian Мой голос имеет значение Мой голос
Имеет
значение
Spanish Mi voto cuenta Mi voto
cuenta
Twi Mabatoɔ no ho hia Mabatoɔ
no ho hia
Vietnamese Phiếu bầu của tôi rất quan trọng Phiếu bầu
của tôi rất
quan trọng
Mandarin
[Simplified Chinese] =我的投票也很重要 =我的投票
也很重要
