You could earn the title as the designer of a new Illinois state flag, but time is running out.
Last year, Senate Bill 1818 -- appropriately named after the year Illinois became a state -- created a commission to evaluate the state’s current flag, and decide whether or not it is time to design a new one. In Aug. of 2023, the bill was signed into law by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
Last month, the commission began accepting submissions from the public for a new state flag. Designs can be submitted online or vial mail, an announcement from the Illinois Secretary of State's office said. The commission will work with schools and libraries to encourage residents and students to take part.
According to officials, more than 1,000 submissions have been received so far.
Here’s what to know as the deadline to submit a design approaches.
When is the deadline?
According to the Illinois Flag Commission, the public submission deadline for designs is Friday, Oct. 18.
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How can submissions be made?
Participants can visit www.ilsos.gov and upload online or submit their design via mail addressed to Illinois Flag Commission, Howlett Building, Room 476, 501 S. Second St., Springfield, IL 62756
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To upload an image, the file will need to be 5 MB or less and in PNG, GIF, or JPG format. There should be no watermarks or frames around the image.
Submissions are limited to three per person.
Are there rules for designs?
According to the commission, the banner must “reflect the identity of Illinois.”
Officials say there is no limit on what colors must be used, but a loose guideline is that flag designs should have three or fewer colors.
Designs may not be generated using artificial intelligence, and cannot include existing logos or copyrighted materials.
Elements of the State Steal of Illinois, or any prior state flag design, can be used in new designs, according to officials.
Design elements can include natural features of the state, history and culture of the state, the announcement said. There is no limit on flag shape or ratio, but designs may be edited by the commission, the announcement added.
Participants are required to submit their name, address, phone number and email address, and are required to explain their relationship to Illinois, as well as a description of their design.
How is a new flag selected?
The commission will look through the designs submitted, and will chose a total of 10 to be put up for a public online vote, which is set to take place in January.
Once that voting is completed, the designs will be presented to the General Assembly, which will then not only decide whether or not to move forward with a new flag, but will also choose the design that will be used for a new banner.
