Attention Illinois residents: You can now officially cast your vote for a new state flag.
The voting opened Friday and follows SB1818, which created an Illinois Flag Commission to "gauge public desire for a new flag." After nearly 5,000 entries were submitted, the commission selected 10 finalists for the public to vote on, the Illinois Secretary of State's office said.
When the voting period concludes, the commission will report its findings and make recommendations to the General Assembly in the spring of 2025.
Members of the General Assembly will have the final say, according to officials, on whether to adopt a new flag, return to a previous iteration of the flag or retain the current one.
“Now is the time to make your voice heard and I encourage folks to join the process by voting for the flag that they feel best represents our great state,” Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said in a release. "The public feedback received during this period will help guide the General Assembly’s final decision on the future of our state’s flag later this year.”
How to vote for a new Illinois state flag and see the designs
Voting will run from Friday, Jan. 10, through Feb. 14, officials said.
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The flags up for a vote -- 13 in total -- include the 10 new finalists, along with the current version of the Illinois flag, Illinois' 1918 Centennial Flag and the state's 1968 Sesquicentennial flag, officials said.
According to officials, members of the public can vote for one flag every 24-hour period. That means individuals with multiple favorite submissions may select a different flag each day, officials said.
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"Participants are encouraged to review their vote carefully before submitting, as their selection cannot be altered after a vote is cast," Giannoulias' office said.
The link to vote can be found here.
What could a new Illinois flag look like?
The 10 Illinois flag finalists, not including the current version of the flag, Illinois' 1918 Centennial Flag and the state's 1968 Sesquicentennial flag, are below.
Photos: Illinois flag design proposals released by commission
More information on the inspiration of each of the designs can be found on the Illinois Flag Commission’s website.
What is Illinois' current flag?
Illinois’ current flag incorporates the state’s official seal, which was adopted in 1869. The flag itself was adopted in 1915, with a small addition of the state’s name added in 1970, according to the Flag Commission’s website.
Numerous states have adopted new flags in recent years, including Minnesota, which designed and unveiled a new banner in 2024.
Mississippi and Utah have also unveiled new flags, though other states have made minor changes to their designs or have codified specific standards for their banners.
Rankings of state flags have routinely put Illinois on the lower end of the list, with critics pointing to the state’s use of the official seal rather than a unique design.
