State Colors + No Seal

There was a glitch on the old poll. Click here to vote again on a new poll.

🥔https://strawpoll.com/e7ZJa7kqvg3🥔

https://strawpoll.com/XmZRQ58Lxgd

Honestly, while creating this design, I based this flag more on vibes than hard historical facts. I modeled the flag based on other popular Idaho flag redesigns online that use a divided six-point star and burgundy to represent the "Gem State" nickname and Idaho's official state gem, the star garnet, which is highly endemic to the state (they are only found in Idaho and India in high quantities), as well as the state fruit, the huckleberry. More generally, the color, gem, star garnet, and huckleberry symbolism can be generalized to Idaho’s unique rugged and volcanic landscape. The gold speaks directly to Idaho's mining heritage and mineral wealth, and the white suggests that of Idaho's mountains without a literal depiction of said mountains. You could also argue that this design looks Indigenous inspired as well. The star also suggests Idaho as a meeting point or a place of navigation and exploration, fitting with its pioneer history.

Overall, the vibe I'm going for is to depict Idaho as the “Crossroads of the Inland Northwest / Mountain West”—a state shaped by mountains, migration, frontier routes, mineral wealth, and the meeting of landscapes and cultures across the American interior.

“Since DC took the Washington family crest, I decided to take the flag of George Washington's military HQ and use that as a base. Then, with a little help from Tiktok, I decided to incorporate a light to dark green gradient that can be found so much in the nature around Washington. The five stars, representing the five active volcanoes in Washington, make a subtle "W" in the sky and the mountains mirror their shape.” -Michael Green

My redesign of the Washington flag uses a white and sky-blue compass rose against a deep evergreen field in order to create a symbolism that would capture not only the geography, but also the history of the state.

The choice of the green field refers to Washington's nickname as the "Evergreen State" and reflects the rich forests found in west and east Washington, and establishes continuity with the current flag. Meanwhile, the colors of the compass rose (namely, the white and sky-blue colors) refer to the mountain peaks, glaciers, rivers and lakes, waterways and even the blue skies characteristic of Washington and the greater Cascadia/Pacific Northwest region.

More than just geography, however, the compass rose also represents the complete history of the state itself, which has always been defined by exploration, navigation, trade, and connections. Indeed, the compass rose refers to everything from Indigenous trade and canoe networks that connected communities across the Pacific Northwest, to the maritime exploration of Puget Sound and the growth of early coastal settlements centered around its harbors and waterways, and later through the railroads, rivers, agricultural corridors, and frontier routes that linked the Evergreen State from the Pacific coast to the Inland Northwest. Today, that legacy continues through Washington’s global role in naval activity, aviation, aerospace, technology, logistics, and trans-Pacific trade, reflecting a state whose history has always been defined not only by where it is, but by the people, ideas, and commerce moving through it.

Finally, the compass rose could also pay tribute to George Washington through its resemblance to his star-spangled personal flag, although this is arguably a weaker connection and one I find less important.

Was studying symbols that felt like they were uniquely Missourian and while non feel as distinct as the sunflower in , the two major cities have the Fluer De Lis (St Louis) and the Heart-Fountain (Kansas City) so I got the idea they might make an interesting variant on the Quebec Flag. Though I wouldn’t say this would represent all of Missouri I think the two cities generally have a friendly rivalry like siblings

• The cloverleaf is taken from the coat of arms of Otto Von Bismarck, the city's namesake, with a star added for it being the state capital.
• The wavy line represents the Missouri River running through (technically, by) the city
• The elements are centered to represent Bismarck's intentional placement at the center of the state.
• The colors represent Bismarck's placement between the farming east and rugged and ranching west of the state, with the colors together representing agriculture, prairies, and the Great Plains.
• The 16 (14?) point star vaguely evokes Indigenous symbolism while being careful not to appropriate any specific symbolism. (I also wanted this flag to match with a flag design I had for North Dakota). The star can also represent Bismarck as the center of governance and leadership--a "North Star" of sorts, both figuratively and literally.
• While a bit of a stretch, if we say this sunburst / star has 14 points (because it loses 2 points to the river), we could say that the 14 stars serve as a nod to the city's founding date: January 14, 1875.

A case for adopting the Washington State flag redesign by u/simplisticflags

The flag combines heraldry, history, geography, and culture to showcase the Evergreen State. A full description of the symbolism can be read throughout the slides.

Note: I know other people have also done this general design, such as u/ThatMarkerDude, but u/SimplisticFlags is the very first to refine this format by using 7 six-point stars.

Tiebreaker Results: https://strawpoll.com/05Zdz03Qln6/results

Full Results: https://strawpoll.com/kogjR8LDNg6/results

Full Results - South Dakota

Congrats to the top 3 designers. They had a clear break from the rest of the pack, and it was quite a close race between these top contenders.

• 34 PETALS (17 gold, 17 red) for the 34th state
• STATE NAME: The name “Kansas” comes from the indigenous Kansa people, translating to “People of the South Wind.” This is visually highlighted by the sunflower "pointing down."
• SUNFLOWER= Kansas
• AD ASTRA PER ASPERA: While most people already know that sunflowers are a cultural staple of Kansas, it has immense symbolism potential beyond mere association with the state. Kansas’s state motto is “Ad Astra Per Aspera,” meaning “to the stars through difficulties.” The sunflower is a weed flower that has traditionally made Kansan agriculture difficult, serving as the “per aspera” part of the motto. Additionally, the design evokes that of a star, serving as the “ad astra” part of the state motto. (And the sunflower’s name comes from the fact that the flower’s head resembles the sun, itself a star, also nodding at the “ad astra” part of the motto.) So, with just the sunflower alone, you have a succinct and beautiful representation of the state motto.
• RED: Red stands for “Bleeding Kansas,” a bloody period of conflict between 1854 and 1859 where pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers clashed over whether Kansas would be a slave state or a free state.
• BLUE & GOLD: These colors are derived from the current flag and the state government’s branding guidelines. You can also say that gold represents Kansas’s agriculture, and blue for traditional virtues / ideals like union, justice, etc.
• COLORS: Overall, the colors are also a nod to Kansas's indigenous history, especially the Kansa people.
• BORDER & NOTCH: The border and notch are a lighthearted reference to Kansas’s distinctive shape: a rectangle with a little notch in its Northeast corner. It’s optional and can easily be removed if it’s not wanted on the flag.

https://strawpoll.com/e2naXOw5pyB