For many, the state of New York represents a global apex of art and culture. However, the state’s latest creative competition (which will have a lasting impact on its roads for years to come) has come up short.
Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced five possible replacements for the current license plate, mostly bland designs with a minimal color scheme — muted yellow, blues, and white. He’s asking the public to cast their vote through September 2 online.


The state will transition into the selected design in April 2020, transitioning out the more recent Empire Gold (a more bold, but also pretty unappealing iteration of the state colors — blue and yellow) plates.
However, some have voiced their ire that the new plates will come at a price — plates older than 10 years are mandatory to replace for the cost of $25. In 2010, the last time the plates were updated, there was not a mandatory replacement. However, this time, Governor Cuomo says, “We need a new design of a plate because we moved to a new technology,” including machinery like cashless tolls, which cannot properly scan all existing plates.


(For what it’s worth, I’m partial to plate number four).
By: Hyperallergic