State Now Accepting Ideas For New MN Flag And Seal

ST. PAUL, MN — The state of Minnesota needs your help designing a new official logo.

Last spring, the Democratically-controlled legislature passed a bill creating the State Emblems Redesign Commission, which is tasked with choosing a new design for the official state flag and seal.

The new design must be adopted by Jan. 1, 2024. The commission is accepting submissions on its website.

Guidelines for submissions include:

• Work must be original
• Participants must be 18 or older or have their submissions entered by their parent or legal guardian
• Eligible participants can submit up to three designs for the state flag and three for the state seal

Find the full guidelines for submissions here. Submissions will be accepted online and or by US mail until Oct. 30.

After the deadline, the commission will narrow down submissions to five finalists each for the flag and seal before choosing a final design for both.

The final design will be utilized as the basis for each emblem, according to the commission.

Why a new flag and seal?

The current state flag dates back to 1858 and was designed by Amelia Hyde Center of Minneapolis.

The flag emblem depicts a pioneer plowing a field while a Native American man on horseback rides toward the sunset.

"Minnesotans For A Better Flag" lists 10 reasons why an update is needed, including that it's boring and its details are too small, confusing, and even controversial.

"The seal originally symbolized the white man’s takeover of the frontier from the Native Americans," the group states. "It is confused with more than twenty other state flags: all blue backgrounds with a seal."

Rep. Andy Smith said on Twitter he doesn't include the state seal on office stationary and business cards "because it is not respectful to all Minnesotans."

Minnesotans For A Better Flag has several proposed designs on its website.