Mississippi's new flag won't have Elvis on it, but it could feature a mosquito

Despite the best efforts of some creative residents, Mississippi's new flag will not feature Elvis Presley, Kermit the Frog, or beer cans.

Mississippi's old flag — the last one in the U.S. to feature a Confederate battle emblem — was retired in late June amid public outcry and anti-racism protests sparked by the death of George Floyd. A nine-member commission appointed by the governor, lieutenant governor, and state House speaker was tasked with selecting a design for a new flag. There are just two rules: It cannot include the Confederate battle emblem and it must have the phrase "In God We Trust."

The public was invited to send in designs, and nearly 3,000 were submitted; the 147 that made it to the second round were posted Monday to Mississippi's Department of Archives and History website. Designs with food and famous people and characters were rejected, The Associated Press reports, but many with magnolias and stars — and in one case, a mosquito surrounded by stars — made the cut.

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On Friday, the commissioners will meet to pick their top five choices, and by early September, they will narrow it down to one; if they can't choose one, they do have the option of creating their own design. It will then be up to the people of Mississippi, who will vote either for or against the final design on the Nov. 3 statewide ballot.