SUNY Chancellor King Announces Winner of "I Voted at SUNY" Sticker Design Opportunity

October 19, 2026

Elizabeth Ji from SUNY College of Optometry's Sticker was Selected by SUNY Students, Faculty, and Staff Votes

Part of SUNY's Ongoing Commitment to Nonpartisan Civic Engagement in Advance of Nov. 3 Election Day

Albany, NY — State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. today announced the winner of the "I Voted at SUNY" sticker design opportunity. Elizabeth Ji from SUNY College of Optometry's sticker was selected as the favorite student-submitted sticker design by SUNY students, faculty, and staff. The sticker will be made available at all SUNY polling sites throughout New York State during the upcoming elections. 

"At SUNY, we help promote civil discourse and civic engagement for all of our students as part of our dedication to delivering a well-rounded, excellent public higher education," said SUNY Chancellor King. "I was inspired by the outstanding, innovative designs submitted by SUNY students and that so many votes were cast to select a winner that will be turned into a sticker and made available at all SUNY-hosted polling sites throughout the state. I applaud Elizabeth Ji for the winning sticker design and thank everyone who submitted designs and was engaged throughout this sticker design opportunity."

The SUNY Board of Trustees said, "SUNY students from throughout New York State took time to design inspiring, innovative, and fun stickers to help encourage their fellow students to be engaged in the upcoming elections. We congratulate Elizabeth Ji on the winning sticker design and applaud all of the SUNY students who submitted sticker designs. This has been a fun way to build on our efforts to advance civil discourse and civic engagement for all SUNY students."

New York State Board of Elections Co-Executive Directors Kristen Zebrowksi Stavisky and Raymond J. Riley III said, "We are excited that SUNY is launching this initiative for its students, as we encourage all college students to become civically involved. New York's elections are strongest when every eligible voter participates. College students bring fresh perspectives, energy, and ideas to our democracy, and we encourage them to take advantage of the resources available to register, learn about the voting process, and cast their ballot with confidence."

The "I Voted at SUNY" sticker design contest was announced by Chancellor King in September, and helped encourage students to visit SUNY's website dedicated to providing students with nonpartisan information about upcoming elections: suny.edu/vote. Dozens of SUNY students from campuses throughout New York State sent in submissions, and hundreds of votes were cast for the six finalist designs. In addition to the winning design by Elizabeth Ji from SUNY College of Optometry, other finalists for the contest included Jamie Farrell from SUNY Oswego, Alexandra Sfarra from the State University of New York at Binghamton, Cole Talbot from the State University of New York at Buffalo, Ashlyn Talbert from SUNY New Paltz, and Faith Zombori from Finger Lakes Community College.

Elizabeth Ji said, "I am honored to see my sticker design resonate so much with the SUNY community. Designing a sticker that students and staff might carry with them everyday is truly special, and I am so grateful for everyone who voted! Make sure to go out and vote at your local SUNY polling site!"

SUNY College of Optometry President David Troilo said, "We are tremendously proud of Elizabeth. Her winning design is a wonderful example of how our students bring creativity, leadership, and a spirit of service to the world beyond the classroom. It is especially meaningful to see one of our students contribute to SUNY's broader efforts to encourage civic participation and strengthen our shared sense of community."

SUNY students, faculty, and staff were able to select their favorite sticker through Thursday, October 15, and hundreds of votes were submitted. Stickers submitted to the contest were required to be nonpartisan, and could not directly or indirectly include candidate names, party affiliations, or issue advocacy language. To learn more about the contest, or to learn more about opportunities to participate in the democratic process, please visit SUNY.edu/vote.

The winning design will be made available at all polling sites located on SUNY campuses during the 2026 midterm election on November 3. The 2026 polling locations, as set by county boards of elections, will include:

  • State University of New York at Albany
  • State University of New York at Binghamton
  • State University of New York at Buffalo
  • State University of New York at Stony Brook
  • SUNY Brockport
  • SUNY Buffalo State University
  • Cornell University (SUNY campuses)
  • SUNY Cortland
  • SUNY Downstate Health Services University
  • Fashion Institute of Technology
  • Genesee Community College
  • SUNY Geneseo
  • Jamestown Community College (Olean campus)
  • Mohawk Valley Community College
  • SUNY New Paltz
  • North Country Community College
  • Onondaga Community College
  • SUNY Orange
  • SUNY Oswego
  • SUNY Plattsburgh
  • SUNY Purchase
  • Westchester Community College

Jen Domagal-Goldman, Executive Director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, said, "As Election Day quickly approaches, we're excited to see students across New York wear this winning sticker with pride after they make their voices heard and demonstrate their power at the ballot box. This sticker shows off SUNY's ongoing commitment to nonpartisan civic engagement, and we are proud to support these institutions through the ALL IN program not only in the upcoming elections, but for years to come."

Erica Smitka, Executive Director, League of Women Voters of New York State, said, "Strong democracies are built by informed, engaged voters, and the League of Women Voters of New York State believes that starts on campus. The ‘I Voted at SUNY' sticker contest gives students an accessible and fun way to get involved and reminds them that their participation matters. We are proud to support this SUNY initiative, and we encourage every eligible student to register, make a plan, and vote on November 3rd."

Megan Ahearn, Executive Director of the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG), said, "Congratulations to the winner of the SUNY-wide "I Voted" sticker contest, Elizabeth Ji! Elizabeth's design reminds us of the power that students wield when they cast their ballot — from all corners of the state, and of all majors, minors, and backgrounds. The student voting bloc is a powerful one. Make a plan to vote in these elections and have your voice heard."

Sean Henry Miller, Northeast Regional Director at Young Invincibles, said, "We believe fiercely in young adults' capacity to lead and are inspired by SUNY's steps to help more students participate in our democracy. Creative, innovative ideas like the sticker design contest drive interest in voting and boost civic participation. Congratulations to the winner and all the finalists! We look forward to seeing these beautiful ‘I Voted at SUNY' stickers proudly worn across campuses this election season."

The "I Voted at SUNY" sticker design opportunity builds on SUNY's commitment to advancing civil discourse, civic education, and civic engagement among SUNY students. Beginning this fall, the general education requirements for undergraduate students include a core competency in civil discourse to ensure students develop the skills necessary to participate in civic life and engage in healthy dialogue. Recently, Chancellor King joined SUNY's Civil Discourse and Civic Education & Engagement Fellows for a roundtable discussion on Constitution Day and announced the third fellowship cohort. In August, Chancellor King described how public higher education plays an integral role in instilling the value of civic service in students and bolstering democracy in an op-ed published in the Buffalo News. In June, Governor Hochul announced the expansion SUNY's Empire State Service Corps program, which connects students with paid service opportunities to give back to their communities. In January, SUNY announced the first round of awards from the "Building Bridges" civic engagement student leadership awards, which provides grants to groups of students working to build bridges across differences on their respective campuses.

In September 2025, SUNY announced the second cohort of Civil Discourse and Civic Education and Engagement fellows to promote civil discourse among students, faculty, and staff throughout campus communities and to advance SUNY's commitment to civic engagement as an essential outcome of higher education. To further support non-partisan voter participation, nearly 40 SUNY campuses participate in the national ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge to provide students with free resources to support student voter registration.

About the State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state's only college of optometry, 12 Educational Opportunity Centers, over 30 ATTAIN digital literacy labs, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.7 million students across its portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2025, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and annually one in three New Yorkers who earn a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.

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