SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The choice for a new Illinois state flag is getting close as the top 10 finalists from nearly 5,000 submissions were recently chosen by the Illinois Flag Commission as part of a redesign contest.

Starting in January, residents will have an opportunity to vote on their favorite design, according to the Illinois Flag Commission’s website.

The top 10 flag designs can be viewed on the commission’s website. The public can read about each creator’s relationship to Illinois and the meaning behind their flag.

Once a new design is chosen, the commission will make a recommendation to the General Assembly on whether the current state flag should be replaced with the new design.

Illinois’ first official state flag was adopted in 1915. Designed by Lucy Derwent, the flag featured the Great Seal on a plain white background.

The state’s latest flag design was created in 1970 by Florence Hutchison. It features a white background with the word Illinois and the emblem portion of the state seal.

For more information, visit the Illinois Flag Commission online.