Imagery touches on Sunflower state’s prolific wheat production and iconic Flint Hills
TOPEKA — The design competition for selection of Kansas’ new personalized license plate was narrowed to five options that incorporated the “To the Stars” marketing pitch with backgrounds depicting the sunflower, a rising sun, the Flint Hills and, of course, wheat.
The Kansas Department of Revenue urged Kansans to vote online for their favorite. Voting began 9 a.m. Monday and ceases 5 p.m. Friday. The triumphant plate will be revealed Aug. 12, state officials said.
Voters can take part at ksplates.kansas.gov, and there is no limit on the number of times a person could express their preference.
“We know how passionate Kansans are about license plates, and this initiative aims to give the public a direct say in selecting the next personalized plate design that will be featured on vehicles across the state for years to come,” said David Harper, director of the state’s Division of Vehicles.
The winning design would replace the state’s “Powering the Future” plate for individuals opting to pay extra for a personalized license plate in Kansas. The state agency said the new design would be on plates issued in 2025.
The Department of Revenue scheduled the license plate contest to coincide with primary election voting Tuesday in congressional, legislative and local elected offices throughout Kansas.
Feedback during voting in 2023 on design of the state’s standard license plate led to development of the five personalized plate alternatives, the agency said.
In December, the administration of Gov. Laura Kelly allowed the public — for the first time — to determine the new license plate design for the traditional vehicle tag.
The public vote followed intense criticism in November of the Department of Revenue’s preference for redesign of the standard license plate. It was denounced, in part, because it came too close to color scheme of the University of Missouri.
The winner of that online election, receiving 53% of 270,000 votes, was a design that featured the dome of the Kansas Capitol topped by the Ad Astra statue.
Kelly was philosophical about the license plate redo.
“It’s great to see Kansans’ passion for representing our great state,” she said.
Kansas Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kansas Reflector maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sherman Smith for questions: info@kansasreflector.com. Follow Kansas Reflector on Facebook and Twitter.
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