Los Angeles County’s multilingual “I Voted” sticker debuted in 2018. Designer Brenda Duran wanted one small symbol to reflect the county’s many languages and communities.
On Election Day, a voter receives one of the smallest things: a sticker.
For decades, the familiar “I Voted” label has served as a badge of civic participation, a simple way to tell the world that someone cast a ballot. But in Los Angeles County, where residents speak languages from around the globe, that little symbol took on a broader meaning.
In 2015, communications strategist and art director Brenda Duran set out to rethink the county’s “I Voted” sticker. Her goal was not simply to refresh its appearance. She wanted the design to reflect the people who make up Los Angeles County.
In her own words, the project required more than a new look. It demanded strategic thinking about what the sticker represented and how people connected with it.
“What goes into a rebrand? A lot of strategic thinking,” Duran wrote in her account of the project.
“In 2015, I was determined to re-introduce the public to the power of the I Voted sticker we all wear on Election Day. I wanted to art direct an iconic sticker that would not only make people excited about wearing it, but would also symbolize what Los Angeles County was all about: diversity.”
Duran led the graphics team through several design iterations before arriving at a concept featuring 13 of the most prominent languages spoken in Los Angeles County. The redesigned sticker debuted during California’s June 2018 primary election.
The languages included English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, Russian, Armenian, Persian, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Thai, and Vietnamese.
“With the rise of social media, the sticker has been a hit and has become a sense of community pride every Election Day,” Duran wrote. “A symbol of patriotism and pride.”
The result transformed a familiar Election Day keepsake into a small statement about belonging. Voters could celebrate their participation in different languages while sharing the same symbol.
“Never underestimate the power of art and graphic design,” Duran added. “It can transform your message into power.”
More Than a Design Choice
The sticker’s multilingual approach reflects a practical challenge facing election officials: making sure eligible voters can understand the voting process and participate.
Language access in elections is not merely a matter of courtesy. Federal law requires translated election materials and language assistance in jurisdictions that meet certain criteria. Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act expanded protections for voters who speak certain minority languages.
Los Angeles County has continued expanding those services. In 2025, county officials said election materials were available in English and 18 additional languages. The county also provides multilingual assistance at designated Vote Centers and through its language assistance hotline.
A sticker cannot explain how to register, mark a ballot, or resolve a voting problem. But it can communicate something immediately: voters from different linguistic communities belong to the same electorate.
Duran’s project illustrates how graphic design can reinforce that message. With social media giving voters new ways to share their Election Day experiences, the sticker became more than a record of participation. It became a symbol people could wear and share with pride.
Before the 13 Language Design, There Was a Waving Flag
The story of Los Angeles County’s sticker belongs to a larger American history.
Janet Boudreau, an election supply entrepreneur who ran Intab, designed the now iconic waving American flag “I Voted” sticker in 1987. Her version helped popularize the sticker nationally, giving election officials a recognizable symbol that voters could wear after casting their ballots.
Boudreau did not invent the entire “I Voted” sticker tradition. Earlier versions existed, but her patriotic design became one of the best-known in American elections.
Duran’s work represents a different chapter in that history. Rather than replacing the national symbol everywhere, her team reimagined the sticker for a county whose linguistic diversity is central to its identity.
The two designs share the same purpose, making voting visible, but express it in different ways. Boudreau’s flag evokes a shared national identity. Duran’s multilingual design highlights the many communities that participate in it.
A Small Symbol, a Larger Question
Los Angeles County’s sticker offers a window into what inclusive elections can look like in practice. Translating ballots and election instructions is essential, but symbols and public-facing design can reinforce the message that voters are welcome, too.
Duran’s work shows how a familiar object can communicate a larger idea. One small sticker can represent people who speak different languages but share the same opportunity to participate in democracy.
County records document the multilingual “I Voted” sticker as part of its election materials in recent years. Whether the exact original 13-language design remains unchanged for the November 2026 election should be confirmed with election officials before publication.
For voters, the sticker may last only a day or two. Its message reaches beyond the polling place: participation in democracy should be recognizable and accessible across languages.
