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Nearly 5,000 entries received in flag redesign contest

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Illinois

* Click here for some background. Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias…

Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced the Illinois Flag Commission received 4,844 entries during the six-week submission period that closed Oct. 18.

“I’m thrilled by the number of submissions the commission has received, as well as the excitement that this project has generated. I can’t wait to see which designs the commission selects for public voting,” Giannoulias said. “The contest has encouraged us all to reflect on what makes us proud to be Illinoisans, resulting in some great stories and unique designs reflecting what our state represents.”

Now that the submission period is closed, the Illinois Flag Commission will meet before the end of the year to select the top 10 designs. Beginning in January, the public will have the opportunity to vote online for one of 10 new designs, or one of the three former flag designs, including the current state flag, the 1918 Centennial Flag and the 1968 Sesquicentennial Flag.

After a public feedback period, the commission will report its findings to the Illinois General Assembly by April 1, 2025, whose members will vote on whether to adopt a new flag, return to a previous iteration of the flag or retain the current flag.

Senate Bill 1818, sponsored by State Senator Doris Turner (48th District—Springfield) and State Representative Kam Buckner (26th District—Chicago), was signed into law in 2023, creating the commission with the goals to gauge public sentiment on a new flag and to bolster civic pride. The Secretary of State’s office chairs the commission.

The commission will evaluate if a new state flag would better represent the state. The state flag has not had a major redesign since 1915.

posted by Isabel Miller
Tuesday, Oct 29, 24 @ 8:30 am

Comments

As long as the final recommendation for a State of Illinois flag, which is really an enlargement of the State Seal, is not as bad as the new Cook County flag, go for it.

Comment by Gravitas Tuesday, Oct 29, 24 @ 8:59 am
Please let’s keep the current flag. It’s fine as it is. Somehow some people have fallen for the “new is better” idea, which is almost always wrong.

Comment by Friendly Bob Adams Tuesday, Oct 29, 24 @ 9:47 am
==It’s fine as it is.==

We’ll see. The majority may disagree with you. What harm does any of this do? I’ve never understood some of the backlash about looking at new state flag designs.

Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Oct 29, 24 @ 9:56 am
- Somehow some people have fallen for the “new is better” idea, which is almost always wrong. -

Nonsense, some people just can’t stand for anything to ever change. The current flag is lame, can’t wait to see some of the designs.

Comment by Excitable Boy Tuesday, Oct 29, 24 @ 10:10 am
I feel certain that I’ll dislike the new flag, but I despise the current one, so… 🤷‍♂️

– MrJM

Comment by @misterjayem Tuesday, Oct 29, 24 @ 10:15 am
==It’s fine as it is==

It is literally the state seal on a bedsheet with the word “Illinois” underneath it. How is that fun or cool or representative of this great state?

==not as bad as the Cook County flag==

I think you’re in the minority on this one–that flag is slick.

Comment by Lakeview Looker Tuesday, Oct 29, 24 @ 10:30 am
Interesting “debate” here. I intend to purchase a couple (two) old flags, just so I have one on hand and one in use for the rest of my natural life. If the new one is cool, so much the better. But since I only have twenty years or fewer left, the flag is not a priority for me.

Now, my alma mater logo? Serious stuff. I have still not forgiven Virginia Tech for trading the old V with a T in the middle, for the Nike brand swoosh VT logo that coach Bill Dooley ushered in. Nope. Ugly logo, and will never forgive. /s

Comment by H-W Tuesday, Oct 29, 24 @ 10:50 am
With Alexi involved it will probably be a flag with “DMV” somewhere in the design.

Comment by West Side the Best Side Tuesday, Oct 29, 24 @ 10:56 am
Current flag is terrible, can’t wait for it to be gone.

Comment by Alton Sinkhole Tuesday, Oct 29, 24 @ 11:01 am
People that are upset at this come across as the grumpy cat meme. “oh no, others are having fund coming up with a design to represent all Illinoisans. Time to go online to complain!”

And for those claiming that a load of folks like our current flag, c’mon… get real. You can almost assuredly easily fit every single private citizen in Illinois that owns a state flag for personal use into a mid-sized Illinois gym. And how often do you ever see anyone wearing an Illinois flag shirt or having an Illinois flag patch on a jacket or backpack? Borderline never.

Let’s try to be like Texas, California, Maryland, New Mexico, Alaska, Arizona, etc., states have that have easily identifiable, recognizable, and widely flown and worn state flags. For a state like us seemingly devoid of overall state pride, having a symbol that’s actually something people want could go a long way to addressing this.

Look no further than Chicago. Chicagoans in the city, in the state, and all over the country and world adore their city flag, because it flat out works and is visually distinct. Same for a city like Washington, D.C. Meanwhile, countless folks elsewhere in Illinois couldn’t identify their own municipal flags to save their lives unless they have the city name printed on it like a lame name tag.

Comment by TJ Tuesday, Oct 29, 24 @ 11:06 am
Alton Sinkhole love your name. I can’t wait to see the finalists

Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Oct 29, 24 @ 11:13 am
“some people have fallen for the “new is better” idea, which is almost always wrong”
Georgia and Mississippi removed the Confederate symbolism from theirs. Even the religious message on the new Mississippi flag is an improvement over the old one.
I love the new Utah flag and I like the new Minnesota flag. They’ve both been improvements.

Comment by Proud Papa Bear Tuesday, Oct 29, 24 @ 11:15 am
The 1968 flag with some slight modifications would be incredible choice. It maintains state history but its design *feels* on trend with the look of today. You see that flag and immediately think of Illinois. You don’t get that with the current design.

Comment by Lakefront Tuesday, Oct 29, 24 @ 11:21 am
Old flag is classic. I find this whole issue to be an utterly bizarre waste of time. Old is not necessarily bad. What’s next? Having a flag contest to replace old glory?

Look, when there are problems with state flags, such as the inclusion of confederate, racist emblems, I’m all over replacement. But replacement because we’re bored with the old design is silly.

Comment by New Day Tuesday, Oct 29, 24 @ 11:24 am
=== What’s next? Having a flag contest to replace old glory?===

Don’t argue like a child here.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Oct 29, 24 @ 11:32 am
== Old flag is classic. I find this whole issue to be an utterly bizarre waste of time. Old is not necessarily bad. What’s next? Having a flag contest to replace old glory?

Look, when there are problems with state flags, such as the inclusion of confederate, racist emblems, I’m all over replacement. But replacement because we’re bored with the old design is silly. ==

A) If Old Glory was viewed as dully and as inconsequentially as our current flag, it would be a good idea to replace it. But it’s not, it’s beloved and immediately recognizable, so nobody’s pushing for change aside from adding more stars for new states. Not comparable.

B) Classic? It’s been around for a while, but being old doesn’t make something classic automatically. Classic rock stations play old bangers, but they don’t play old songs long since forgotten even by the bands that recorded them for good reason.

c) A flag’s purpose is to be recognizable and something to be able to rally around. If people are bored with it, that’s inherently an argument in favor of replacing it.

Comment by TJ Tuesday, Oct 29, 24 @ 11:35 am
I’m excited to see the options but I really hope we don’t go down the path of stylized imagery. Art designers love the new Minnesota flag because the dark blue part is a stylized version of the shape of MN.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flags_of_the_U.S._states_and_territories#/media/File:Flag_of_Minnesota.svg

Uh, yeah, we see it now that it’s pointed out but why not just put the map there so it’s clear?

On the other hand, the recently redesigned MS and SC flags are upgrades over the previous versions, not only because they removed the stars and bars but because the new imagery is real, not symbolic.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flags_of_the_U.S._states_and_territories#/media/File:Flag_of_Mississippi.svg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flags_of_the_U.S._states_and_territories#/media/File:Flag_of_South_Carolina.svg

In my opinion the best four flags are all out west: CA, AZ, NM, and CO. Simple, immediately recognizable, concrete imagery.

If you want to waste 10 minutes, see here for all of ‘em.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8a/United_States_state_flags%2C_territory_flags%2C_and_DC_flags24.png

Comment by Atlas Tuesday, Oct 29, 24 @ 11:50 am
More entries than was received for the user submitted legislative maps during the redistricting process.

Comment by CommonSense Tuesday, Oct 29, 24 @ 12:18 pm
“New is better, which is almost always wrong”

Still driving a standard shift, are we?

Still cooking with a wood stove, are we?

I could go on, but you still wouldn’t get the point.

Comment by Flyin'Elvis'-Utah Chapter Tuesday, Oct 29, 24 @ 1:51 pm
The former Cook County flag was quite ordinary, but at least it explained itself. The new flag look likes something for a high school marching band competition. Bring on the pom pom squad and the baton twirlers.

The best local flag is that of the City of Chicago hands down.

Comment by Gravitas Tuesday, Oct 29, 24 @ 2:21 pm
===The best local flag is that of the City of Chicago hands down.===

While I do like it, I actually really like Evanston’s new flag also. Although the background of it being the creation of a 7 year old helps make it endearing.

I don’t have a problem with Illinois’ current flag, but people who are grousing about this project just seem like sourpusses.

Comment by Leslie K Tuesday, Oct 29, 24 @ 3:09 pm
===people who are grousing about this project just seem like sourpusses===

Some people hate everything.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Oct 29, 24 @ 3:10 pm
Is there a working group meeting before the commission meets?

Comment by Spooky32 Tuesday, Oct 29, 24 @ 3:16 pm
- TJ -
Couldn’t agree more. Throw Colorado in there too. Always liked that one.

Comment by Early Illinoisan Tuesday, Oct 29, 24 @ 3:51 pm
Old Glory is on its 27th version and was designed by a high school student.

Comment by Proud Papa Bear Tuesday, Oct 29, 24 @ 5:57 pm