The drawings and creations are in - now the public must wait to see a long list of proposed new NZ flag designs before a panel chooses which four will go to a referendum.

The Flag Consideration Panel will today begin the process of casting their eye over more than 9100 flag designs for their favourites.

The Returned and Services' Association is urging Kiwis to fly the current flag in support of keeping it. Photo: File.

Submissions closed at midnight last night, by which time 9103 designs had been put forward by the public. The final count will be completed within 48 hours, and the final number could reach 10,000.

The Southern Cross and red, white and blue colours of the current flag remain the most common features of submitted designs.

The flag panel's next task is to choose a preliminary long list of about 50 to 75 flag designs by the middle of next month.

It will then see four flag designs shortlisted and put to New Zealanders for ranking in a first postal referendum, expected to be held in November and December.

The selected design will then go up against the current flag in a second referendum, expected to take place in March next year.

Flag Consideration Panel chairman Professor John Burrows has thanked the thousands of people who had submitted flag designs.

'As expected, there are hundreds of designs that have come in just ahead of the deadline and these will need to go through the same robust checking process as others to ensure they meet the guidelines and terms and conditions,” says John.

Over 9000 designs have been received, including this one from Lorraine Bailey.

While the design period was closing, the Returned and Services' Association urged New Zealanders to fly the current flag in support.

RSA national president BJ Clark says it's important that those who want to keep the current flag also have a voice in the public discussion leading up to the flag referenda.

'The Flag Consideration Panel says it will utilise the values and themes expressed by New Zealanders to evaluate flag designs,” says BJ.

'Those values, including history and heritage, freedom and independence, are well represented by our current flag.

'We respect the democratic process that is underway, and our goal is to make sure that those in favour of the current flag can express their view throughout the process.”

He says everyone has a flagpole so people can also fly the flag by getting a flag bumper sticker from the RSA and posting a virtual flag on social media.

BJ says the RSA want people who support the current flag to exercise their democratic right to vote in the first referendum later this year, by writing their choice on the ballot paper.

Flag design by Anne Marie-Denny.

People can choose the fifth option – rather than voting for one of the four alternative designs, they can write on the ballot paper ‘I vote for the current flag'.

'These ‘informal' votes are also counted,” adds BJ, 'so this is a way for people to register their views.”

He says the overwhelming majority of RSA members support keeping the current flag, and the RSA is also hearing from many other New Zealanders who are opposed to change.

'The RSA is standing up to fight for our flag, and welcomes others to join our stand,” he adds.

The flag design guidelines are available at: www.flag.govt.nz.

The Flag Consideration Panel was appointed in February 2015 following nominations by a cross party group of MPs.

The Panel is independent of government and has been provided with a set budget within which it is required to conduct a public engagement campaign that will culminate in the recommendation of four alternative flag designs to the responsible Minister, Bill English.

Flag design by Alex Jotham.