SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Posters were hung all over the city of Sacramento to help organize and get out the vote ahead of the presidential election.
The Vote Poster project brought together dozens of local artists to craft unique designs to encourage voting. Uptown Studios, an organization designed for social change, started the movement in order to push for greater turnout in the upcoming election.
Bryce McEfee is one of 36 artists involved in the vote campaign.
“I felt like I needed for myself to start being a little more vocal and saying something and hopefully somebody will hear it,” McEfee said.
McEfee said his art is a statement he hopes will make a difference in his community. The graphic designer has been creating for six years, but said this is the first time he’s using his work to advocate and reach younger voters.
“There’s too many people that kind of sit by and say 'I don’t like politics, I don’t want to do this or that,' but at this point it’s going to hurt us,” McEfee added.
He created his poster to be playful and approachable. And now, his message will not only be posted around the city but also in the hands of hundreds of more likely voters.
The poster project has also expanded into a ‘Drink this and Vote Project.’ McEfee’s design and several others are being used as labels on beer cans.
Kiara Reed, an advocate for Uptown Studios, said as soon as the word got out about the Vote Poster project, local breweries began reaching out to join the movement.
“It was a call for artists to come and submit their art and we would print and plaster them around the city,” Reed said.
Reed and McEfee said they’re both thankful for the community’s support and hope this project will empower more people to vote.
“I think it’s especially important to make sure those people know that their voice does matter and their vote does count,” Reed explained.
McEfee will continue to use his art to motivate voters so everyone has a chance to be heard on November 3rd.
“Whether you think it does or not, just exercising your right to vote is something so please do it,” McEfee said.