Illinois May Change The State Flag, Asks Residents For Designs

I'm not someone who complains about things changing in life, for the most part. However, I will go on record as being an lifelong Illinois resident who really doesn't see anything wrong with our state's current official flag.

A good friend feels much differently than I do.

He hates our state flag, and thinks there's far too much going on in it. He's excited about the prospect of Illinois changing the flag into something that, I'm quoting here, "A 10 year old could easily draw." He wants "lots of shapes and lots of colors sort of floating around."

I'm hoping that if we change the flag, it won't be something designed by someone who's tripping on hallucinogenic mushrooms...like the friend I just mentioned. We'll call him Joe. Because that's his name.

Take A Look At The Representation Of The Illinois State Flag Above--Here's What All The Stuff On It Stands For

Okay, so to start, we've got a bald eagle. The bald eagle stands for the United States, even though Benjamin Franklin was on Team Wild Turkey when it came to selecting a national symbol.

• Next, in the eagle's beak, a red streamer displays the state motto, "State sovereignty—national union" This motto means that Illinois governs itself under the United States government.
• The shield being held in the eagle's claws has 13 stars and 13 stripes, which represent the first 13 states.
• The rock behind the shield near the eagle's claws shows the dates 1818 at the bottom, the year Illinois became a state, and 1868 at the top, the year the state seal was first used. The ground around it symbolizes the state's prairie soil.
• The sun is shining over a representation of Lake Michigan.
• The green plant is the Big Bluestem, Illinois' official prairie grass.

Illinois Is Not The Only State That Is Considering Or Has Already Completed A Change Of The State Flag--Minnesota Did It Last Year, And Michigan And Maine Are Looking To Do It, Too

I have no idea what the criteria was in Minnesota, or what ideas Michigan and Maine are kicking around, but if you'd like to submit your own design for a new Illinois state flag, here are a few things things to know before you get started, according to the Illinois Secretary of State's Office:

• Persons under 18 may submit designs if submitted in coordination with a parent/
  guardian, teacher or adult mentor.
• Designs cannot be AI generated.
• Design elements can include natural features of the state, history and culture of
  the state.
• No limit on flag shape or ratio but designs may be edited by the commission.
• No limit on colors but recommended less than three colors for clarity of design.
• Participants are required to provide their first and last name, address, email
  address and phone number. They are also required to explain their relationship
  to Illinois and provide a description of their flag entry (each category limited to
  500 characters).
• By submitting a design to the Commission, the designer is authorizing the
  Commission and the State of Illinois to take ownership of the design.

The commission will select 10 designs based on how they reflect the identity of Illinois
and will host an online public survey for residents to vote on their favorites or to keep
the current flag. Voting will begin January 1st, 2025 and last for six weeks.