Georgia's new license plate design unveiled

Georgia has a new license plate design -- finally.

After scrapping an earlier contest due to confusion over "In God We Trust," state officials on Monday announced that the do-over vote resulted in the same outcome: Linda Sosebee produced the winning submission.

Sosebee, of Monroe County, a champion sporting clays shooter, won a popular vote that saw more than 500,000 votes cast, state Revenue Commissioner Doug MacGinnitie said. Of the more than 500 proposed designs, Sosebee's pastoral setting featuring rolling hills and peaches, was chosen above two other finalists by a panel of art and design professors.

Sosebee's design received more than 34,000 online votes, compared to the runner up, which received more than 15,000.

The new plates will be rolled out gradually, MacGinnitie said. When people move to the state or purchase new cars the new plate will be standard. Other motorists will get the plate as their old ones wear out -- specifically when the reflective coating on numbers and letters dims.

Monday's event was the second Capitol news conference where the winner was to be unveiled. But MacGinnitie in July announced the vote would be done over after criticism and confusion regarding whether the phrase "In God We Trust" would appear on everyone's license plates.

Several of the semi-finalists chosen in the original round of voting featured the phrase on the mock design, leading many to believe the phrase would appear on all plates should that design win. But, the entries were simply showing what the plate would look like with the "In God We Trust" sticker that any motorist can already purchase for $1 at their local tag office.

But MacGinnitie said Monday that Sosebee's entry won the first time and was victorious again in the make-up round.

Noting Sosebee's prowess as a national and world champion sharpshooter, Gov. Nathan Deal quipped it's no surprise she won.

"I suppose we must have been afraid to vote against her," he said.

But Sosebee is also an accomplished artist, who has created large murals for the Department of Corrections, the Forsyth-Monroe County Chamber of Commerce, several hospitals and private practices. She's also designed logos for businesses and corporations.