Does the Washington flag need a facelift?

Earlier this year Edmonds state Representative Strom Peterson put forward a bill to potentially change the state’s flag. 

HB 1938 would have created a committee tasked with redesigning the Washington’s iconic green and yellow banner – which is the only one with a presidential profile on it.

According to the bill’s language, the due date for a new design would be sometime in 2028 – after which, voters would decide through a referendum whether to adopt it. 

Peterson says his idea isn’t about controversy over our state’s namesake; it’s mainly about the way it looks. Peterson says that the times, and the state, have changed in the century since then. So maybe it’s time the flag changes too. 

But HB 1938 has hit a roadblock. The bill failed to pass out of committee last week, meaning Peterson will have to wait another year before trying again. 

There’s been a recent wave of flag redesigns across the United States. Minnesota and Utah adopted new state flags in 2024. Maine voters went the other way and rejected a new sleeker design for their flag. Mississippi also recently updated its state flag – it included the Confederate battle flag up until 2021.

But even with the bill tabled, what makes for a good flag? It’s something that vexillologist Ted Kaye thinks a lot about. Kaye is the author of “Good Flag, Bad Flag: how to Design a Great Flag" and is also the secretary for the North American Vexillological Association. 

Soundside was joined by Rep. Peterson and Kaye to discuss the state's banner legislation.

Guests:

• State Representative Strom Peterson, D-Edmonds, sponsor of HB 1938. 
• Ted Kaye, secretary for the North American Vexillogical Association and author of "Good Flag, Bad Flag: How to Design a Great Flag." 

Related Links: 

• Bill summary: Washington State Legislature
• Home - North American Vexillological Association
• Bills that didn’t survive the WA Legislature’s first major deadline • Washington State Standard

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