CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — The results are in for the contest to redesign the Illinois state flag, but these tallies aren’t the final say. One design from Champaign received the second most votes, behind the current state flag.

The Illinois Secretary of State, Alexi Giannoulias, said nearly 385,000 people voted, and the current flag won overwhelmingly. The current state flag received more than 160,000 votes. But a Champaign business that sent in a submission said if you total up the votes for the new flag options, it’s a bigger number than that.

This might mean the majority of people across the state want to see change. For over 50 years, the Illinois state flag has been represented with a white background and the state seal.

Last year, the Illinois Flag Commission collected almost 5,000 entries of redesigning the old flag. One of those entries was from a Champaign design agency who took second place in the contest.

“It was an incredible honor to design a flag for Illinois,” said Clanin Creative Owner Scott Clanin. “We have been following this contest for over a year.”

The current state flag gained more than 160,000 votes. However, the majority of voters casted their ballots for a new design.

“Looking at the vote totals, overwhelmingly, a lot of votes went towards keeping and retaining the current state flag,” Clanin said. “But when you look at, since there were so many options in this contest, overwhelmingly, 57% of the votes voted for change. And of those, our flag came through with the most votes.”

Even though voting is over, there is still a chance there could be different flag design.

“Now that the public vote is over, it goes to the General Assembly,” said Clanin Creative Graphic Designer Colleen Hayes. “And that’s where the lawmakers and everyone will decide if we keep our current state flag or if we gain a new one.”

Hayes was one of many people working on this project. She said their design represents state agriculture, the three regions in Illinois, the 21 stripes are for when Illinois became a state and the points on the stars adds up to 18, to symbolize the year 1818 when the state was founded.

“We’re all born and raised from Illinois,” Clanin said. “So, designing something for the state would just be an incredible honor if we got through, and here we are.”

Despite the support for the current flag, the mission isn’t over for Clanin Creative.

“There is certainly love for our current state flag, but we’re still excited that there’s a possibility that because so many people voted for change, that change is still on the table,” Clanin said.

There was a total of 13 designs to choose from in the voting period. Next month, the General Assembly will decide whether to adopt the new flag or stay with the current design.