The tradition of the 'I Voted' sticker

    It might be your favorite part of casting your ballot, getting the ‘I Voted’ sticker. But where did that tradition come from?

The stickers first started showing up in the 1980s. According to TIME Magazine a Miami Herald article published in 1982 shows Ft. Lauderdale businesses gave a discount to customers with the sticker.

The election supply company Intab released a ‘I Voted’ sticker that features an American Flag. A former exec credited with the design, told TIME Magazine in 2016 that she hoped the stickers would remind people to get out and vote which would increase afternoon and evening turnout.

In 2014 Intab officials said they sold more than 30 million rolls, each with 1,000 stickers.

The stickers are thought to have been given out originally by local businesses or groups like the League of Women voters to show their commitment to civic life.

There are also some studies out there saying that the stickers can make people feel good about voting which will then lead them to participate in later elections.

Then there’s the obvious reason people love the stickers, it helps you brag about voting without saying a word. A study conducted out of Berkeley, Harvard, and the University of Chicago suggests that voters hit the polls to boost their social standing.

So whatever your reason, the ‘I Voted’ sticker can be found once you cast your ballot.