Fourteen-year-old Hudson Rowan’s entry for an “I Voted” sticker design contest in Ulster County, New York, went viral last summer, reigniting a voting fervor across the nation during this year’s midterm elections. The spider-y character, scribbled in acknowledgment of the chaos amongst us, became an overnight sensation that inspired Alex Wojcik, New Paltz’s deputy mayor, to memorialize it on her arm.
On October 22, Wojcik and fellow colleague Matthew Mackey, who ran for State Assembly District 101, paired up to get the design inked by artist John Romanelli. According to Times Union, Wojcik was up first, receiving a 2.5-by-3.5-inch rendition of Rowan’s character on her right tricep.
Mackey and Wojcik dubbed themselves the “Democracy Spider Squad,” celebrating that they’re now now “bonded for life.”
While this isn’t Wojcik’s first body ink modification by a long run, she tweeted afterward that it was her very first “I Voted” sticker. In the race for State Assembly District 101, Mackey ultimately lost to Republican Brian Maher, but Wojcik found the animated response to the unconventional sticker design refreshing, as it generated interest in and excitement about our civic duty.
“This sticker design — and the way our elections went here in Ulster County this week — is a great reminder that democracy means getting everyone involved, especially young people,” Wojcik told Hyperallergic.
Rowan fans who are less committed than Wojcik and Mackey can easily pay homage to the revolutionary design through fan merchandise, including but not limited to t-shirts, tote bags, water bottles, and coffee mugs.
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