SKANEE — In November, voters could walk out of the polling place wearing a sticker drawn by a local student.

Designs by Arvon Township Schools third-grader Avery Kahkonen and sixth-grader Araminta Widby were named as finalists in the elementary/middle school division for the state’s “I Voted!” competition. The winner will be chosen by online voting, which continues through the end of the month.

More than 480 submissions came in from around the state. Those were winnowed down to 25 finalists in each category: elementary/middle, high school and general public. Three winners in each category will have their design available for voters.

Arvon Township Schools teacher Jane VanBuren learned about the contest through the morning news. She looked up the contest online, then got the school’s third- through sixth-grade students involved.

Entries had to promote voting, and had to consist of original artwork with no copyrighted materials. Beyond that, students were free to be creative.

VanBuren gave students a review of the act of voting, and the core democratic values it signifies.

“It made for a really good lesson in civic duty,” she said. “Pretty much just trying to encourage people to vote, that their voice matters. We talked about patriotic symbols, and the ways we celebrate.”

The school’s entered other contests before, but this one being put on a state website and voted on across Michigan makes it special, VanBuren said. Kahkonen and Widby are the only Copper Country residents in any division.

“We’re very excited,” VanBuren said. “We’re a very small school, and we have talented students … Our students’ families are absolutely thrilled about it.”

Unlike in the November election, people can vote more than once. Their only limit is the deadline: 11:59 p.m. on July 31.

Winners will be announced in August and receive special recognition from Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. Clerks will be able to order copies of the winning stickers to give out for the general election.

To vote, go to michigan.gov/sos/elections/voting/2024-i-voted-sticker-contest.