When Washington residents receive their General Election Voters’ Pamphlet each fall, they obviously notice the helpful info about candidates and ballot measures. But if they look closer, they’ll notice something else – voting-related artwork created by a Washington elementary school student.

In 2002, we added a fun element to the Voters’ Pamphlet by starting an art contest in which the winner’s work would be featured in the pamphlet that fall.  It’s a great way to have students do a fun art project and to start thinking about voting and why it’s so important. Students in grades 4-5 are invited to enter the Voters’ Pamphlet Art Contest. This year, 300 students took part.

On Wednesday Secretary Reed visited St. Louise Parish School in Bellevue to make a surprise presentation to this year’s winner, fifth grader Kennedy Kerr. The photo above shows Secretary Reed with Kennedy and her parents, Mike and Johnna Kerr. Here is Kennedy’s winning art submission, which will appear in this fall’s Voters’ Pamphlet.

Kate Spataro of Centennial Elementary School in Olympia was selected as first runner-up in the contest. Kate’s poster is here. Eliza Buttars of Prosser Heights Elementary School in Prosser was second runner-up. Eliza’s poster is here .