Flag and seal of Illinois in Chicago, United States, on October 14, 2022. (Photo by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Illinois residents can play a role in history by voting on the new state flag design.
Time is running out, however, as Friday is the last day to vote.
Voting has been open since Jan. 10, offering residents a once-daily opportunity to share their opinion.
Illinois has flown the same flag – featuring the Great Seal on a white background – since it was first adopted more than 100 years ago, according to the Illinois Flag Commission’s website.
According to state officials, more than 4,800 designs were received by the committee, with 10 new designs chosen for the public vote.
In addition to the 10 new designs, the state’s centennial flag from 1918 and sesquicentennial flag from 1968 were also included, as was an option to keep the existing banner.
A full list of flag options and their backstories can be found on the commission’s website.
The Illinois Flag Commission is tasked with developing the new flag designs and making recommendations to the General Assembly on whether the current state flag should be replaced with a new design, as established by Public Act 103-0513.
After voting ends Friday night, the votes will be counted, and results will be sent to the General Assembly.
The General Assembly will make the final determination on whether to retain the existing flag, to adopt one of the new flags, or one of the state’s previous banners later this year. Gov. J.B. Pritzker would then have to sign off on the design.
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According to the state, the flag was officially adopted in 1915. In 1968, the state’s name was added to the flag, along with additional specifications for the banner.
The flag has the official state seal, which features a bald eagle clutching a banner reading “State Sovereignty, National Union” in its beak. The banner also features a rising sun and a rock featuring the year 1818, when Illinois was founded, and 1868, the year the state’s official seal was proposed.
