Motivating Future Voters: Comparing the Effects of ‘I Voted’ and ‘I Will Vote’ Stickers on Intention to Vote

“I Voted” stickers have long symbolized civic pride and voter participation in American political culture. This study examines the impact of these stickers’ language on voting intentions, comparing the effects of future tense (“I Will Vote”) with past-tense stickers (“I Voted”) and control stickers. Through two pre-registered experiments involving low-propensity voters (Total N = 1500), we find that “I Will Vote” stickers significantly enhance voting intentions compared to “I Voted” and control stickers. We also find that “I Will Vote” stickers induce more positive attitudes toward voting and greater voting self-efficacy. These findings contribute to the understudied intersection of language and political behavior, illuminating how linguistic choices in voter outreach can shape civic engagement. We conclude with a call for scholars to explore how incorporating the future tense in get-out-the-vote campaigns can effectively boost turnout.