Winners named for Soldotna’s ‘I Voted’ sticker design contest

Soldotna city officials on Saturday named the winners of the “I Voted” Sticker Design Contest during the Progress Days Block Party.

The set of community-created voting stickers will be available at Soldotna polling locations during the Oct. 1 municipal election.

Hadley Kornelis, 12-year-old Soldotna Montessori student, won the “Future Voter” category with a depiction of a sockeye salmon against mountains at sunset.

Isla Crouse, 15-year-old Kenai Central High School student, won the youth category with her image of a sockeye salmon moving along the riverbank.

Addie Nelson won the adult prize with her image of a tent overlooking an ice field.

Crouse said her design, centering salmon, was intended to capture an impression of “where we’re from.” Salmon, she said, are something most people who live on the Kenai Peninsula can relate to.

“I’m very honored,” she said of being chosen as a winner of the contest. “It’s great to feel that support.”

Kenai Peninsula artists across three categories — “Future Voter,” youth and adult — last month submitted their designs for the stickers. Soldotna Mayor Paul Whitney said during the block party that 34 submissions were received across all categories.

A set of three finalists were in July named for each category by a panel of judges that included Whitney, Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, Rep. Justin Ruffridge and Soldotna High School art teacher Chris Jenness.

In the future voter category, Kornelis was joined as a finalist by Elyse Lundberg, 12, of Kenai Middle School; and Marietta Kornelis, 9, of Soldotna Montessori.

In the youth category, Crouse was a finalist alongside Anika Jedlicka, 17, of Soldotna High School; and Elizabeth Adams, 18, of Connections Homeschool.

Adult finalists were Nelson, Tracie Sanborn and Trinity Godfrey.

The public was invited to vote for their favorite stickers by a July 21 deadline. Whitney said 446 responses were received.

More information about the contest can be found at soldotna.org, under the City Clerk’s office. Photos of the winning designs and other finalists can be found at “City of Soldotna” on Facebook.

Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.