A fee charged with overseeing a course of that might result in a brand new Illinois state flag has chosen 10 finalists for the general public to contemplate early subsequent yr.
The 20-member Illinois Flag Commission, which incorporates some elected officers, selected the finalists from almost 5,000 submissions acquired because the Illinois secretary of state’s workplace opened the choice course of in early September. The designs incorporate iterations of varied state icons, together with the state insect (the monarch butterfly), the state flower (purple), and Abraham Lincoln, in addition to nods to corn, agriculture and business.
Starting in January, the general public will be capable to vote on-line at www.ilsos.gov/stateflag for one of many new designs or for one of many three flags which have already flown on the Land of Lincoln: the present state flag, the 1918 Centennial Flag and 1968 Sesquicentennial Flag.
By April 1, after the general public vote is counted, the fee will supply suggestions and share its findings with the Illinois General Assembly, which is able to then determine whether or not to undertake a brand new flag.
The state flag now encompasses a bald eagle with the state motto in its mouth, on a rock bearing the yr of the state’s incorporation, 1818, and the creation of the seal, 1868. It is sort of a carbon copy of the state seal .
Through laws sponsored by state Rep. Kam Buckner of Chicago and state Sen. Doris Turner of Springfield, the Illinois Flag Commission was created to find out whether or not a brand new state flag would “higher signify the state’s range of city, suburban and rural and would encourage renewed state delight amongst Illinoisans,” in keeping with a press release from the secretary of state’s workplace. Gov. JB Pritzker signed the measure into regulation final yr.
Designers of a brand new flag have been requested to include parts similar to Illinois’ pure options or something that represents the state’s historical past and tradition. There have been no limits on the form of the flag, however the fee was allowed to change the designs. Additionally, there was no restrict on colours, however fewer than three colours have been really useful for design readability. The designs couldn’t be generated by synthetic intelligence.
Flag designs eligible for public voting in January will be considered at ilsos.gov/special/IFC/10finalists.pdf.
Minnesota adopted a brand new state flag earlier this yr after an identical course of, ending up with a banner that has an eight-pointed star encased in a darkish blue form representing the overall define of the state and the night time sky on the left, and a light-weight blue discipline on the fitting representing the state’s many our bodies of water. Last yr, Utah additionally went by way of the method of getting a brand new state flag, which was modified to pay homage to its nickname, “The Beehive State.”
Locally, Cook County modified its flag in 2022, adopting a design created by a scholar at Glenbrook South High School in northern suburban Glenview.
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