Chicago's flag is ubiquitous, Illinois, that so much.

>> W t Tw News reporter Amanda Vinik.

He joins us now with more on an effort to replace have >> Yes, Nick 2024 may well be the last year of the Illinois flag as we know it.

If you know because it is true, the Chicago flag, it is capable hacking.

Sure that you like me have friends with it as a tattoo.

I'll do you one better.

I have the tactical.

If you get your one of my who didn't that but I have around and a lot of longtime residents couldn't tell you what's on the Illinois flag.

Heck, if were not for Illinois in all caps along the bottom, many people might not be able to tell you that it is the state flag.

In a quick factoid here.

By the way, the state like originally featured just that ribbon and shield carrying eagle.

That, by the way, is the state seal.

>> The Illinois across the bottom was added in the 60's because of a complaint.

It couldn't be easily identified as Illinois's banner.

All right.

Fair enough.

So that's why there's talk of replacing it with what?

>> Well, with dozen options, the state basically held a contest earlier this year and got almost 5,000 entries.

A commission made of the few legislators and various other appointees, including representative from the State Museum toast the top 10 high school students came up with butterfly and then there's one that looks like a flower.

But that's actually corn kernels given the state's agriculture background.

Plus, here's for the state's industrial past.

Now, as you can see, stars are popular design often.

21 of them because Illinois is the 21st 8 Lincoln's silhouette also pops up quite a few times.

One finalist is the current flag.

You see it in the middle.

But minus the Illinois and instead has borders added on the side now, sometime next month, an online portal will open and people can vote for one of those 10 or 3 other options.

The centennial flag, the Susquehanna Centennial flag.

So that's when Illinois turned 150 years old in 1968 or last not least voters can choose to stick with the flag as it flies.

Now.

Now this whole process and timeline is laid out in a law that Governor JB Pritzker signed back in 2023.

I recently though asked what he thought of the finalists.

His answer was diplomatic.

>> I really like her current flag.

I also like the designs that were put forward going to send to political about that.

But I mean, I think a lot a lot of effort was put in to that.

>> But ultimately it will be up to him.

The public, as I said, does get to weigh in next month.

>> But >> later who are under no obligation to abide by that nonbinding online vote.

Now, if the legislature does pass a bill changing the flag, it would be up to Governor Pritzker whether to sign it into law and he is not showing us his cards on line.

All right.

Amanda, you.

Thanks