(State of Illinois)
Calling all creatives, graphic artists and flag designers.
A state commission is soliciting submissions for a new Illinois flag.
It’s not a sure thing that Illinois will replace the white banner with the state seal above the word “Illinois” that has served as the official state flag.
That will be up to Illinois residents to decide in an online poll early next year, after the Illinois Flag Commission puts it up against what commissioners decide are the top 10 public entries, according to parameters announced Wednesday by Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, who chairs the commission.
“The symbols that represent and unify our state are important and this presents an excellent opportunity to engage Illinoisans and showcase their pride,” Giannoulias said in a statement.
While Chicago’s simple flag is so beloved that it’s not an uncommon tattoo, Illinois’ flag is unrecognizable to most residents.
The prospect of a redesigned flag was put in motion in 2023, when Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a law (Public Act 103-0513 / Senate Bill 1818) sponsored by state Sen. Doris Turner of Springfield and state Rep. Kam Buckner of Chicago, who are both Democrats.
Designs are due Oct. 18.
Commission members, including Turner, by law have until early December to submit a report to the legislature with their flag findings.
The statue requires the commission include a recommendation as to whether the current Illinois flag should be “retained or replaced with a revised or new State flag.”
In a statement, Turner said she introduced the bill creating the commission to “start the conversation” about the state flag.
“We need a flag that truly represents Illinois – a state with a strong workforce, an agriculture champion and so much more,” she said.
Two years ago, Cook County redesigned its flag, replacing the county seal with a flag that has six red seven-pointed stars (the points symbolize the regions of the county, the city of Chicago and the forest preserves, while the stars symbolize the important moments in county history) couched between the crooks of a turquoise, green-rimmed sideways “Y” shape, the blue representing the rivers and the green for preserved land.
For more information on the Illinois flag redesign contest, click here.
Contact Amanda Vinicky: @AmandaVinicky | [email protected]
