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Why Lake County voters don't receive 'I voted' stickers

While voters in most suburban counties will receive a sticker in exchange for their completed ballot Tuesday, Lake County voters haven't had the option to receive the coveted “I Voted” sticker in years.

The stickers and paper backings often didn't make it onto the person or into the trash, Lake County Clerk Carla Wyckoff says.

“We would find them stuck on the parking lot and all over our voting booths and we're just trying to reduce the litter,” Wyckoff said.

Nixing the stickers also cuts down on costs, Wyckoff says.

Kane, DuPage and McHenry counties will offer voters the traditional “I Voted” sticker Tuesday. And Cook County unveiled a new version of the sticker last month. Cook's new sticker is bigger than the traditional white oval and says “I Voted” in English, Spanish, Hindi and Chinese.

Wyckoff says that while Lake County voters won't get stickers, they can get their voting receipt to prove they were voting if they're late for work or need to leave early.

But voters must request the receipt, Wyckoff says, citing that the receipts can be wasteful and turn in to litter as well.

“We only give a receipt if people ask for them,” Wyckoff said.

Cook County's redesigned voter stickers
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