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So far, 2024 has been a busy year for the Lunenburg Registrar’s Office. Alissa Baldwin and her staff have worked on a special election, dual party presidential primary, dual party congressional primary and a congressional recount, with early voting in the November election looming less than a month away.

But it’s also been a time to get the community involved with elections in a different way. Instead of just using the same generic “I Voted” sticker you see everywhere in Virginia, Baldwin wanted something unique to Lunenburg County. And so, she asked the community, everyone from students in Lunenburg County Public Schools to retired folks with time on their hands to break out their pens, pencils and other tools to design a local version of the “I Voted” sticker. That contest ran up through part of the summer, with two finalists eventually chosen during a period of public voting. Then residents got to cast ballots again between the two final designs, with the Lunenburg County Electoral Board also weighing in. And now, we have a winner.

Central High student Karisma Holliday is this year’s winner. Holliday said she entered the competition after her art teacher, Jeanne Kunath, reminded students of the opportunity near the end of school. As for what inspired the design? Holliday said she pulled ideas from timeless cartoon characters, going for a look much like the Flinstones and Jetsons, with some added patriotic flair.

Karisma’s father, Patrick Holliday, says his daughter has been drawing for a long time and he was happy to see her have a platform to do so and get recognition as a result. Baldwin, meanwhile, said she was happy to personally fund the gift card prize given out in the contest, providing it to Karisma with her family on hand to celebrate.

ELECTION DEADLINES COMING UP

There’s less than a month left until early voting starts, both here in Lunenburg and across the Commonwealth. That’ll begin on Friday, Sept. 20. Residents have until Tuesday, Oct. 15, to either register to vote in this November’s election or update their registration, to highlight a new address. Now if you vote absentee by mail, applications for that need to be turned in by Friday, Oct. 25. And then of course Election Day is set for Tuesday, Nov. 5, with precincts open between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m.

If you want to get involved, residents can sign up to be poll workers by calling the registrar’s office here in Lunenburg at 434-696-3071 or dropping by at 160 Courthouse Square.

And this will be a big election, as most presidential races are, meaning there will be a need for more poll workers to help answer questions. In addition to the presidential election, we’ll also be voting for U.S. Senate, the 5th District race in the U.S. House, the Kenbridge Town Council, the Kenbridge Mayor, the Victoria town council and Victoria mayor. Baldwin said if people have questions, she’s happy to answer them.

“My office is always available to answer questions and involve interested citizens in our mission to promote democracy and public trust as we endeavor to ensure fair and impartial elections,” Baldwin said.

Baldwin added that however Lunenburg County residents vote, be it early voting or in person on Nov. 5, they’ll be given Karisma’s sticker to document the “I Voted” moment.

“The Lunenburg elections team hopes you wear it proudly and tag us on social media to further promote the creativity of Karisma and celebrate that hometown pride we feel in our mission to ensure safe, secure, free and fair elections,” Baldwin added. “We are proud of the artistic contribution made by Karisma Holliday, among the next generation of voters, and hope having a special, unique to Lunenburg sticker will inspire even more eligible locals to register and participate as informed voters in the Nov. 5 election.”