Illinois voters have spoken—the current state flag isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Earlier this year, the Illinois Flag Commission launched a contest to redesign the state flag, offering voters a choice between 10 finalist designs or keeping the current flag.
In total, the commission received 385,000 votes, nearly half of which were cast in favor of the existing design.
Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced the results in an Instagram video on Thursday morning.
“The results are, let’s just say, overwhelming,” Giannoulias said. “The current state flag received more than 165,000 votes, or about 43% of the total.”
Despite the landslide vote, the process isn’t over yet. The Illinois General Assembly has the final say and will review the results before making an official decision later this spring.
“Some may call it an ‘SOB’—seal-on-a-bed-sheet,” Giannoulias joked, referencing the flag’s plain white background. “…But the people have spoken!”