Many state flags were designed decades ago, back when “modern branding” meant a seal, some Latin, a stern-looking eagle, and absolutely no concern for how the whole thing would look on a hoodie. And while those old designs may carry plenty of historical weight, they do not always feel like the symbols people would choose to represent their state today. Custom Made Casino surveyed 3,014 respondents, asking them to imagine what their state flag should look like if it were redesigned for the modern era. The results suggest that if states were starting from scratch today, quite a few might skip the traditional shield-and-banner approach and go straight for more modern markers.

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Modern state identity is complex and often more revealing. A state is not just its official motto or founding date. It is also its food obsessions, housing realities, local stereotypes, lifestyle habits, weekend rituals, traffic quirks, and the things residents joke about because they know, deep down, they are probably true.

Arizonans’ top three choices for an updated state flag that best represents the modern Grand Canyon State were as follows:

  • Solar panels: Solar panels would be Arizona’s most sensible modern flex. The state has sunshine in industrial quantities, so putting it to work feels almost too obvious. As a flag symbol, it says Arizona is not just hot — it is hot with a business plan.
  • Air-conditioning unit: If Arizona redesigned its flag around modern life, the air-conditioning unit would deserve serious consideration. It may not be romantic, but it is arguably one of the most important relationships in the state. In a place where summer can make a steering wheel feel like a legal hazard, A/C is less a convenience than a survival partner with a monthly bill.
  • Retiree golf cart: A retiree golf cart would capture a very specific, very recognizable version of Arizona: sunshine, planned communities, resort living and someone calmly driving to pickleball at 11 mph. It is part transport, part lifestyle statement, and part reminder that in some neighborhoods, the golf cart is basically a second car with better parking.