(WAND) - Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced the Illinois Flag Commission received 4,844 entries for flag redesigns 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.”
The Illinois Flag Commission will meet before the end of the year to select the top ten designs.
Starting in January, the public will be able to vote online for one of the ten 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. 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.
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