By Jerry Nowicki
Capitol News Illinois
jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com
Illinoisans may soon submit designs for what could be the new state flag.
The Illinois Flag Commission, a bipartisan body of appointed officials, will accept designs for a new state flag online or by mail from September 3 to October 18. More information can be found at www.ilsos.gov/special/IFC/home.html.
“I’m excited to see the creativity of Illinois residents and how they display their passion for our great state,” Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, whose office oversees the commission, said in a statement.
The commission will select 10 submissions and host an online public survey for Illinoisans to vote for their favorite. That voting will begin from Jan. 1, 2025, and last six weeks.
Then the commission will submit their recommendations to state lawmakers, who may take formal action to replace the flag.
Individuals may submit up to three designs, with no limits on what can be included, the number of colors, or flag shape.
Illinois is the latest state to consider changing its flag as more states move away from the derisively nicknamed “seal on a bedsheet” design. Utah and Minnesota both adopted new flags earlier this year. Mississippi adopted a new flag to remove confederate imagery in 2021, something its neighbor Georgia did in early 2001.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government. It is distributed to hundreds of newspapers, radio and TV stations statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, along with major contributions from the Illinois Broadcasters Foundation and Southern Illinois Editorial Association.