Rankings of state flags have routinely put Illinois on the lower end of the list, with critics pointing to the state’s use of the official seal rather than a unique design.

At first glance, the new abstract options offered by the City of Boise stand in sharp contrast to the old flag's design.

The Illinois state flag design. AP SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Flags engender such loyalty and pride, they often become very personal emblems with quirky or quaint nicknames: Old Glory, Union Jack, ...