The Seal of the State of Washington contains a portrait of George Washington

George Washington

George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...

, as painted by Gilbert Stuart

Gilbert Stuart

Gilbert Charles Stuart was an American painter from Rhode Island.Gilbert Stuart is widely considered to be one of America's foremost portraitists...

. The outer ring contains the text "The Seal of the State of Washington" and "1889", the year Washington state was admitted to the Union

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The seal is featured as the main element on both sides of the Flag of Washington

Flag of Washington

The flag of the state of Washington consists of the state seal on a field of dark green with gold fringe being optional. It is the only U.S. state flag with a field of green as well as the only state flag with the image of an American president.-History:The design was adopted in 1923, prior to...

.

The seal was designed by Charles Talcott, based on a painting by Gilbert Stuart. Originally the seal was to be a scene featuring Mount Rainier

Mount Rainier

Mount Rainier is a massive stratovolcano located southeast of Seattle in the state of Washington, United States. It is the most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous United States and the Cascade Volcanic Arc, with a summit elevation of . Mt. Rainier is considered one of the most...

, but Talcott proposed the design featuring George Washington instead.

Proposed Change

While the State Seal has not been considered controversial in any way, during the 2010 United States midterm and state-wide elections, Ballot Measure 1069 was proposed in the State, which would alter the seal. This measure would require the Seal of the State of Washington to be changed to depict a vignette of a tapeworm dressed in a three piece suit attached to the lower intestine of a taxpayer shown as the central figure. The seal would be required to be encircled with the following words: “Committed to sucking the life blood out of each and every tax payer.” The illustration would be selected from submissions submitted by taxpayers. The proposal did not qualify to appear on the state ballot.

Seal of the Lieutenant Governor

There is also a seal of the Lieutenant Governor of Washington, created in 1959. The seal was created to mirror aspects of regional interest that embody the traditions and culture of Washington State. The seal is represented by the official state symbols of the Goldfinch, chosen in 1951 by schoolchildren; the Rhododendron, voted in by Washington Women prior to universal suffrage in 1892; and the twin gavels of the state legislature, representing the bipartisan spirit of lawmaking, all enclosed in a circle. At the center is the state capitol building in Olympia, one of the tallest masonry domes in the world. Two Western Hemlocks, the state tree since 1947, flank the seal's outer edges.

See also

• State of Washington
  • Symbols of the State of Washington
    • Flag of the State of Washington