Latest news with #IllinoisFlagCommission
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Illinois votes on a new state flag design -- and chooses the current one
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Flags engender such loyalty and pride, they often become very personal emblems with quirky or quaint nicknames: Old Glory, Union Jack, Maple Leaf — or SOB. That would be (state) 'Seal on a Bedsheet,' the derisive moniker with which some have burdened the Illinois state flag, a gleaming white banner emblazoned with the state's bald eagle-themed emblem. Some forward-looking lawmakers set up a contest to design a new flag and put it to a vote. In a landslide, a winner was chosen. And it's the current flag. The SOB wins in a landslide Of nearly 385,000 votes cast, the existing bunting received 43% — more tallies than the next six finalists combined. 'Some may call it an SOB and the vexillogical community (flag experts) may hate it, but people overwhelmingly prefer our current state flag,' said Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, whose archivist chairs the Illinois Flag Commission. Its members were chosen by the governor, legislative leaders and state education and museum administrators. Created in 1915, the current emblem is a white field featuring the state seal adopted in 1868: A bald eagle before a rising sun, a shield in its talons and in its beak, a banner expressing the Prairie State's dual tenets: 'State Sovereignty, National Union.' In 1970, 'Illinois' in block letters was added at the bottom. 10 finalists, plus the current and 2 former flags Last fall, residents were invited to submit their vision for a new standard. More than 4,800 did — most of them serious. The commission whittled it down to 10 finalists, then added the current 1915 flag, and banners created for the state's 1918 Centennial and 1968 Sesquicentennial. 'What I tried to convey to people was, this is not a process that is mandating a new flag. We're going to test the waters and see what people say, so I respect those results," said Rep. Kambian Buckner, who sponsored the law creating the flag inquiry. But the Chicago Democrat was quick to point out that while the existing flag received nearly 166,000 votes, there were 219,000 votes for new colors. "There were more people who thought that maybe we should move in a new direction," said Buckner, who found the contest's runner-up — a star-haloed sun rising above converging green stripes of prairie — to be 'super cool.' 'Ginning up some pride' It's not over just yet. The General Assembly gets the final say. However, Buckner doubts there will be an appetite to change course given the overwhelming vote for the status quo. Regardless of the outcome, Buckner said the contest, which drew entries from various regions of the state and from young and old, accomplished part of his goal: 'Ginning up some pride about Illinois.' 'This reminded me that people really care about where they live, and care about the way we present ourselves to others,' Buckner said.
Associated Press
14-03-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Illinois votes on a new state flag design -- and chooses the current one
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Flags engender such loyalty and pride, they often become very personal emblems with quirky or quaint nicknames: Old Glory, Union Jack, Maple Leaf — or SOB. That would be (state) 'Seal on a Bedsheet,' the derisive moniker with which some have burdened the Illinois state flag, a gleaming white banner emblazoned with the state's bald eagle-themed emblem. Some forward-looking lawmakers set up a contest to design a new flag and put it to a vote. In a landslide, a winner was chosen. And it's the current flag. The SOB wins in a landslide Of nearly 385,000 votes cast, the existing bunting received 43% — more tallies than the next six finalists combined. 'Some may call it an SOB and the vexillogical community (flag experts) may hate it, but people overwhelmingly prefer our current state flag,' said Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, whose archivist chairs the Illinois Flag Commission. Its members were chosen by the governor, legislative leaders and state education and museum administrators. Created in 1915, the current emblem is a white field featuring the state seal adopted in 1868: A bald eagle before a rising sun, a shield in its talons and in its beak, a banner expressing the Prairie State's dual tenets: 'State Sovereignty, National Union.' In 1970, 'Illinois' in block letters was added at the bottom. 10 finalists, plus the current and 2 former flags Last fall, residents were invited to submit their vision for a new standard. More than 4,800 did — most of them serious. The commission whittled it down to 10 finalists, then added the current 1915 flag, and banners created for the state's 1918 Centennial and 1968 Sesquicentennial. 'What I tried to convey to people was, this is not a process that is mandating a new flag. We're going to test the waters and see what people say, so I respect those results,' said Rep. Kambian Buckner, who sponsored the law creating the flag inquiry. But the Chicago Democrat was quick to point out that while the existing flag received nearly 166,000 votes, there were 219,000 votes for new colors. 'There were more people who thought that maybe we should move in a new direction,' said Buckner, who found the contest's runner-up — a star-haloed sun rising above converging green stripes of prairie — to be 'super cool.' 'Ginning up some pride' It's not over just yet. The General Assembly gets the final say. However, Buckner doubts there will be an appetite to change course given the overwhelming vote for the status quo. Regardless of the outcome, Buckner said the contest, which drew entries from various regions of the state and from young and old, accomplished part of his goal: 'Ginning up some pride about Illinois.' 'This reminded me that people really care about where they live, and care about the way we present ourselves to others,' Buckner said.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Illinois' existing state flag prevails in design competition
CHICAGO — The votes are in — the people of Illinois would like to keep the state flag as it is. The public had nearly a month to vote on 10 proposed state flag designs, along with two former state flags and the existing flag, as part of the Illinois Flag Commission's contest that could have led to a new flag to represent the Land of Lincoln. While the state's flag did not receive a majority of the vote, it won with more than 165,000 votes, with the second-place finisher collecting less than 33,000. 'Some may call it an SOB — a seal on a bedsheet — and the vexillogical community may hate it, but people overwhelmingly prefer our current state flag,' Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said in a news release announcing the contest results. Ted Kaye, a vexillologist, or person who studies flags, has disparaged Illinois' flag and told the Tribune earlier this year that the design contest should be seen as suspect because the votes of residents who wanted a change were split among more than 10 options. The possibility of a new flag is not completely closed. The commission will submit a report to the Illinois General Assembly by April 1, and Tim Butler, a commission member and former Republican state representative, said it will most likely contain information on the other finalists. The final decision is up to the legislators. 'It is absolutely up to the lawmakers,' Butler said. 'State law would need to be changed, so that's them.' Sen. Doris Turner, a Springfield Democrat who sponsored the 2023 bill leading to the design contest, said in a January interview that the flag competition process did not cost the state any money, noting that the commission was made up of volunteers who selected the design finalists, which were disclosed in December, from nearly 5,000 submissions. Butler expects the commission to meet again before the April 1 deadline, as the Secretary of State's office has inquired about the commission's availability in March. ____
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Current Illinois state flag wins overwhelmingly in redesign contest
ILLINOIS (WCIA) — The current Illinois flag overwhelmingly won in a contest to redesign the state's flag. On Thursday, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced that the current state flag won the contest, following the five-week voting period. Out of almost 385,000 votes, 165,000 (43%) were cast for the current state flag. It also received more votes than the next top five designs combined. Bill in Illinois statehouse would require standardized emergency plans for schools In the contest, voters had the option to choose their favorite design from one of the Illinois Flag Commission's top 10 new designs, or one of the three former flags including the current design. The current flag has not had a major redesign over the course of the past century. 'Some may call it an SOB – a seal on a bedsheet – and the vexillogical community may hate it, but people overwhelmingly prefer our current state flag,' Giannoulias said. 'Thank you to everyone who made their voice heard on the future of this important symbol of state pride.' The Illinois Flag Commission is also preparing a report going through its findings and recommendations to show the General Assembly by April 1. Following this presentation, lawmakers will vote on whether to adopt a new flag, return to a previous version or continue to have the same one. Sponsored by State Senator Doris Turney (48th District–Springfield) and State Representative Kam Buckner (26th District–Chicago), Senate Bill 1818 was signed into law in 2023 by Governor JB Priztker. This action created the commission that looked into the public's potential want for a new state flag. The commission then selected its top 10 finalists this past December from the 4,844 entries it received during the six-week submission period, which ended in October. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Illinois picks new-ish state flag
Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced the winning design of the state's new flag contest. Except, well, it's not new. Flashback: Last year, the Illinois Flag Commission released 10 designs for the public to vote on. Driving the news: Giannoulias said Thursday that 385,000 votes were cast in the contest. 165,000, or 43%, selected the current flag that features an eagle on a rock with a red ribbon coming from its beak, emblazoned with the words "State Sovereignty, National Union." Zoom in: More than 5,400 Axios Chicago readers voted on the best design and the option with a simple navy background with a bust of Lincoln, squeaked by as the winner. Second place? The current flag. What's next: The decision to *checks notes* use the current state flag as the new state flag goes to the General Assembly. Lawmakers could also decide to pick a new design or revert back to an old one. The bottom line: Do we hate change?
