They just opened a new exhibit at the Kent Free Library, displaying the top three options for the new Kent City Flag. There were originally 68 different submissions, and I’ve been following the process for quite a while. In October, I narrowed the candidates down to my top three. (One of which made the city’s top three, as well!). Regardless of how things end up, I’m pretty excited to see how the process plays out.

You can choose whether you choose to visit the exhibit at the library or not. In any event, I encourage you to go to the website the city has set up for soliciting community input. And I encourage you to Vote Now for the New Kent City Flag!

That said, I’ll campaign here a little for my favorite design.

I originally called this design “The Garster Flag.” Mostly because I think it sounds better to have a unique handle than a generic name. But this is the one that the city is calling “Option A.” It was my favorite out of the original 68 submissions. And it’s my favorite out of the city’s top three, too.

I like the colors. I like the symbolism. And I love the backstory for the eight-pointed star (connected to quilting and the Underground Railroad). But the main reason that I would campaign (in only the weakest, most casual sense) for this flag is that I think it’s the strongest success in terms of the eye test. It just looks sharp. I can see it on city publications and T-shirts. I can see it flying from the top of the Davey Tree Building in downtown Kent. And I might even buy one of those flags and hang it out in front of my house.

I don’t really have anything to gain or lose from one flag being selected over another (nobody is paying me to promote this project or any particular outcome). Still, I’m hoping that the Garster Flag comes out on top. That being said, it’s just as much up to you as it is to me. So, let your voice be heard!