The City of Soldotna will host an “I Voted” sticker design contest for the upcoming municipal election following city council approval of the program last Wednesday.

The initiative, sponsored by council member Jordan Chilson, directs the city to develop terms and conditions for the contest, through which participants would submit designs to be featured on the “I Voted” stickers distributed by city election workers at polling places. Currently, the city distributes generic “I Voted” stickers and those created by the Kenai Peninsula Borough.

The resolution approved by council members last week says that a sticker design contest would align with the city’s Arts and Culture Master Plan and the council’s previously stated goal of increasing voter awareness of and participation in municipal elections.

City of Soldotna data show that participation in municipal elections is historically low. Just 8.19% of the city’s registered voters, for example, cast ballots in the October 2023 election.

The contest would also be an opportunity, the resolution says, to promote local artists, to positively highlight the city and to partner with schools and community organizations.

Soldotna City Clerk Johni Blankenship said last Thursday that the city is still working on the details of the program but plans to hold a kickoff meeting soon. The resolution says that the city will use an online platform — similar to that used by the Alaska State Council on the Arts’ Artistic License Plate Competition — to accept submissions.

Soldotna’s next election will be held on Oct. 1, 2024.

Reach reporter Ashlyn O’Hara at ashlyn.ohara@peninsulaclarion.com.