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Secretary of State Awards

Please scroll down to find the award that you are looking for:
1. Civics in the 605: Statewide Sticker Showcase
2. Gladys Pyle Award
3. John Lewis Youth Leadership Award

1. Civics in the 605: Statewide Sticker Showcase

The Secretary of State's office would like to present a contest for students to design the next "I Voted" sticker. This sticker will be used for the 2026 General Election. There will be 4 categories: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Constitutional officers will judge the sticker contest.

Rules for the "I Voted" Sticker Showcase:

  • All artwork submitted must be your own original work; no stock or borrowed images may be used.
  • Entries must include the words "I Voted".
  • Artwork must be nonpartisan.
  • Entries may be created on paper or digitally.
    • Paper entries must be either scanned or photographed clearly for submission.
    • Digital and paper files must be under 10MB, and must be a .pdf, .jpg, or .jpeg.
    • Sticker Template
  • Entries will be used for social media and other marketing materials for the South Dakota Secretary of State's office.
  • All entries must be received by February 1, 2026.

Please send entries to:

South Dakota Secretary of State
Attention: Civics in the 605
500 E Capitol Avenue
Pierre, SD 57501-5070

Or email submissions to [email protected] (include "I Voted" Sticker Showcase in the subject line).

2024 "I Voted" Sticker Contest Winners

Kynlee S. from Mrs. Gloe’s class at Stanley County Elementary School

Evelyn R. from Ms. Watt’s class at Elk Mountain Elementary School

Makenna C. from Ms. Clark’s class at Spearfish Middle School

Art W. from Ms. Azures’ class at Takini School


2. Gladys Pyle Award

South Dakota Secretary of State Monae L. Johnson founded the 1st Annual Gladys Pyle Award in 2023 to encourage high school students in South Dakota to get involved in the election process and register to vote. Every school in South Dakota that signs up and registers their eligible seniors to vote will receive the Gladys Pyle Award.

Gladys Pyle was an American educator and politician. She was the first woman to be elected to the United States Senate without having been appointed to her position previously. Pyle also served as South Dakota Secretary of State from 1927 to 1931.

Award Requirements:

  • Every school in South Dakota that signs up and registers their eligible seniors to vote will receive a Gladys Pyle Award.

Steps to Follow:

  1. To register, email your school's name to [email protected](include Gladys Pyle Award in the subject line).
  2. Promote the Gladys Pyle Award to your students and school staff.
  3. Conduct a Voter Registration Drive.
    1. If a student turns 18 after June 4, 2026, a Pledge to Vote card may be submitted in lieu of voter registration.
  4. Once the after the voter registration deadline, email the Secretary of State's office your final registration numbers, as well as the Pledge to Vote cards.

2024-2025 Gladys Pyle Award Recipients:
Stanley County High School - 18 New Registrations
T.F. Riggs High School - 18 New Registrations
South Dakota State University - 74 New Registrations/Updates
Dakota Wesleyan University - 28 New Registrations

2023 Gladys Pyle Award Recipients:
Sturgis Brown High School
Black Hills State University
Spearfish High School
South Dakota School of Mines & Technology

For more information on Gladys Pyle, check out the South Dakota Public Broadcasting (SDPB) Podcast: Gladys Pyle was First.


3. John Lewis Youth Leadership Award

About John Lewis and the Award:
The John Lewis Youth Leadership Award was established in 2021 by the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) and aims to honor the extraordinary accomplishments of Congressman John Lewis.

His courageous achievements during the Civil Rights Movement and his long tenure of public service have inspired and will continue to inspire Americans for generations to come. In 1961, at the age of 21, Lewis was one of the original thirteen Freedom Riders. In 1963, Lewis was the youngest speaker at the March on Washington and also one of the “Big Six” leaders that organized the march. In 1965, Lewis helped lead the Selma to Montgomery marches. The first march took place on March 7, 1965 at the Edmund Pettus Bridge where unarmed marchers were attacked by state troopers. The event later became known as “Bloody Sunday” and was a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement. Lewis’ activism at an early age continued throughout his life and he served as a U.S. Congressman for 33 years until he passed away in 2020.

The John Lewis Youth Leadership Award was created in February 2021, as a way for NASS members to recognize a gifted, civic-minded young person in their state each year. The recipient should demonstrate leadership abilities, have a passion for social justice, and be motivated to improve the quality of life in their community.

For more information about John Lewis, please visit:
https://www.archives.gov/research/african-americans/individuals/john-lewis
https://www.johnrlewisinstitute.org/about-john-r-lewis
For more information about the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award, please visit:
https://www.nass.org/node/2208

Eligibility:

  • The recipient must be 25 years old or younger at the time of the award presentation.
  • The recipient is recognized in their community for being civic-minded and improving the quality of life in their community. The community must be in the awarding NASS Member’s state/territory (i.e., South Dakota).
  • The recipient has shown a meaningful commitment to address civil rights issues, including but not limited to voting rights, and to authentically bring about positive change in his or her community.
  • Examples could include youth leadership in a specific project or program, advocacy, or even literature as the Congressman also won a National Book Award for young people’s literature.

Submit a Nomination:

    • Complete the nomination form using this fillable PDF: Nomination Form
    • Please send a picture of the recipient along with this nomination form. Up to ten pages of supporting materials, including news releases, news articles, or social media posts may also be included as part of your submission, as long as they are digitized (no hard copies, please).
    • Submissions must be emailed to [email protected]by 5:00 p.m. Central Time (CT) on November 1, 2025 in order to be considered.

Disclaimer:
Entries may be used for social media and other marketing materials for the South Dakota Secretary of State’s office.


Questions?

Please call (605) 773-3537 or email [email protected].