Scott Grandchamps were cleaning the backroom at the Lagrange Park Ace Hardware Store last month, when an untouched Illinois State Flag was tucking in a vault.
He decided to replace the anniversary flag of a company, which he designed with the state flag and blew it under the American flag every day.
“It’s good, and I think it’s something that should be flown, and it represents our kingdom,” Grandchamp said. “I think everyone has always raised the American flag, and they do not increase the state flag. Since I found it and there was an additional set of hooks, I said ‘Let’s increase it.’ ,
By some people, the flag design of the state which have been used for over 50 years are fans. But its future is uncertain, as the Illinois Flag Commission is a few weeks away from choosing a winner in a competition to represent the land of the Flag Commission Lincoln – although the result will be the best advisory.
Illinois residents have to vote by 14 February – every resident can cast a ballot every 24 hours – 10 finalists were selected by the Commission with about 5,000 submissions. The final decision will be made by the MPs of the state, who are going to get votes yoga at 10 submissions as part of the full report from the Commission as part of the full report. The MLAs will then consider whether to live with the current flag or go with one from the design competition. According to Springfield Democrat State Sen Doris Turner, they can also choose to move to the state’s Shatabdi flag or the Sekantinial flag, who sponsored the leading bill for the design competition.
Illinois State Sen Terry Bryant, a member of the Commission, clarified that she prefers the current flag, which she said that she fly outside her house. Many neighbors do the same on his road, he said.
“There are some things about our flag that stand out,” Bryant said, a Republican of Downstate Murphisboro. “For example, when the flag moves, and when it fly in the air it really looks like water. The same thing with the sun.”
The flag of the state is essentially a white background with the state seal – a bald eagle with the motto of the state stands on a rock in the year of 1818 and the construction of the seal, the year of the state’s incorporation, 1818.
Ted Kaye, a Vaxilologist, or person who studies the flag, calls it “seal on a bedsheet” – an ineffective word for a flag design in Vaxilology circle – and said that Illinois needs a rebrand. He said that the flag details cannot be distinguished at some distance and the white background cannot be used on graphic designs because bleeding in the white background.
He also said that he does not think the states are on the seal flag as the seals represent the government while a flag is to represent the people of the state.
“As a citizen, I will ask myself, why would I like to fly the flag of my state government at my home?” The work said.
Changing the flag will include cost. Utah, who adopted a new flag in the last March, spent around $ 500,000 on his Flag Task Force and $ 5,000 on the prize money for the design finalist. A report compiled by the Utah Fiscal Analyst Office said that local governments may spend $ 20 per flag to change the old flag, and the governor included $ 50,000 in its 2023 state budget for marketing of new flag. .
Minnesota also changed its flag last year. The Minnesota Legislature allocated $ 35,000 to fund the design phase, but the biggest cost burden falls on the state agencies and municipal governments including fire and police departments. For example, a county commissioner told a local news outlet that the justice center would cost $ 50,000 to change the state’s seal. A spokesperson said that a spokesman said with a spokesperson, with an estimated cost of a time of $ 2 million to the state reform department.
Bryant said that it was not clear what the cost of changing the flag could be and there is a plan to request an estimate during the spring legislative session. But Turner said that he is confident that the cost will not be high. He said that the Commission is made up of volunteers and said that the state will gradually follow Utah to change the flag as they wear.
Turner said, “We have not overcome it and the number is together, but we will probably follow Utah and many other states that have gone through this process.” “They have phased out in changing the flag, so it is not that you wake up one day and every flag goes.”
Despite the results, Turner stated that the flag competition provides a productive objective.
“This is an opportunity for some citizen engagement, state pride and representation because it is close to the community we can possibly receive,” he said.
In AYN Patton Bartok, a resident of Downstate district of Bryant, supporters have taken their case on social media. After hearing the potential flag change, Bartok gave rallies to dozens of local residents on Facebook to vote in favor of the current flag.
“Mainly as a taxpayer in the state of Illinois, I do not think it’s a cost that our government should consider,” Bartok said. “I worry that our state is not an essential physical sound, and it seems a trivial attempt.”
“If there was any reason that a new flag was going to improve our commercial relations with other states, or attracts more people to live in Illinois, but I can not even think that it is so , “Bartok said. “I do not have enough evidence to explain that obtaining a new flag is going to solve any state problem.”
John Cocoris, who speaks himself about the history and other themes of the state in the libraries and the libraries, stated that they are surprised by the number of people, saying that they like the present flag.
“I heard many people saying,” Oh I like the flag. I like Eagle. “Cocoris said that there are just patriotic people who like that kind of thing.” I like to see it updating it Used to do, but a lot of great things have been done under the current flag and they have been completed. ”
Vaxoligist, Kay, said the state process to include residents in the flag’s decision is flawed as the current flag is included in the voting. This means that the flag that now fly can top with less than 50% of the votes, while a separate flag will be divided into 10 presented designs.
Regarding the Illinois process, Kya said, “This is a challenge in choosing a deficitic partnership and the lack of expertise in creating a great design for them.”
But the Turner said that it was important to include the current flag in the voting “to give to those persons who firmly felt that option.”
Cocoris and Bryant also take the issue with the selection process of 10 finalists.
Cocoris said, “Everyone is confused, and I think if we had a better finalist, if people could see some more unique ideas that might have opened their eyes that could be what could happen,” Cocoris Said. “Instead, we are looking at the head of stars and stripes and red, white and blue and (former president Abraham) Lincoln. And I love Lincoln, but don’t think me wrong, it is the same as there are many other ways to talk about Illinois. ,
The Turner said that the 10 finalists were selected in a four -hour meeting in which each commission member presented 10 of his favorite flag designs and members from that pool.
The result does not matter, the Turner said that this process has increased civil engagement around the flag.
Of the 4,844 entries received over a period of six weeks, Turner said several hundred presentations came from primary, middle and high school students.
“The Commission must be able to say, we like the stars from this one and the color from that one. Let’s combine them, ”Kay said. “The goal is to design a flag, not to choose a design.”
Tim Butler, a former Republican state representative and member of the flag commission, said that whatever the result of competition and legislative discussion, the process has been a healthy for a flag that did not receive much attention.
Springfield’s butler said, “Hopefully if nothing else, it increases the visibility of our flag,” Springfield’s butler said, “And people are a little more proud of it.”