Our nation’s first president has graced the state flag of Washington since 1923, but now Democratic lawmakers want to remove the founding father and replace him with something more suitable to the Evergreen State. House Bill 1938 would create a committee to design a new flag by 2028. Sponsored by state Rep. Strom Peterson, the proposal is getting a lot of heat from Republicans.
“To be the only state in the nation to be named after a president is a distinct honor,” Republican state Rep. Hunter Abell argued. “One that we should not take for granted and we certainly should not be ashamed of or attempt to eliminate him from our flag.”
“We’re not asking to remove George Washington from the history of Washington state,” Peterson explained. “This is more about the aesthetics of the flag and what the flag could represent to bring people across the state together.” He complained that the current design is plain and said now is an opportunity to create civic engagement while highlighting the state’s agricultural diversity and creating a sense of pride for the residents.
On Nov. 11, 1889, Washington became the 42nd state of the Union. Initially, it was supposed to be called Columbia, but some people thought it would be too confusing because of the District of Columbia. However, the leaders at the time didn’t realize naming the Evergreen State “Washington” would be a problem for later generations, confusing Washington State with Washington, D.C.
The current flag features George Washington against a green backdrop. A yellow circle emblazoned with “The Seal of the State of Washington 1889” surrounds his image. Washington is the only state to have a green background and the only one to have a past president on its flag. The background represents the western part of the state’s green fields, while the gold ring in the seal symbolizes eastern Washington’s wheat fields. Created by the state’s chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the design was first suggested in 1915 but wasn’t officially approved until 1923.
“The flag features a detailed portrait of George Washington, making it overly complex and difficult to reproduce which is a violation of key flag design principles that prioritize simplicity,” the bill states. “Additionally, while George Washington is an important national figure, he has limited historical connection to the state itself. This makes his image less meaningful as a symbol for the state.”
According to the North American Vexillological Association, five elements make a good state flag: simplicity, symbols meaningful to the state, not relying on lettering or seals, limiting colors, and not resembling any other state’s flag, the Seattle Times pointed out.
If the bill is approved, a committee would be formed comprising representatives from the Washington State Arts Commission, a historian, the secretary of state, lawmakers from the House and Senate, cultural leaders, designers, citizens from different areas of the state, and tribal representatives appointed by the governor. Its first task would be to get feedback from the community by reaching out to schools, tribes, surveys, and community organizations. The tentative approval for a new design is set for July 1, 2028. Voters will have to approve the new flag in the next general election before it can be adopted.
Republican state Rep. Brian Burnett told Washington radio station KPQ, “We have the third-highest crime rate in the nation. We have the third-highest cost of gas, the third-highest homeless population, and the fourth-most expensive housing. So this is what we need to be spending our time on? Are you kidding me?”
Although HB-1938 does not specifically mention historic implications or censorship, such as whether Washington was a slave owner, some suggest this may be a reason for initiating the redesign. Burnett said, “Was he [Washington] a slave owner? It’s likely, because of the day and the times. I don’t know, I wasn’t there. But I do think he was a leader and from what I understand and the things I have read about him, he was a very good man.”
As the debate over Washington state’s flag redesign continues, it’s clear that the issue goes beyond aesthetics — it’s a conversation about history, identity, and priorities. While supporters of the bill argue that a new flag could better represent the state’s culture and diversity, opponents see the move as an unnecessary and politically motivated attempt to erase a symbol of national heritage.