Gov. John Hoeven's office has received thousands of comments from North Dakotans on their choice for the design of the state quarter, which could be selected as early as Thursday.

The State Quarter Commission made it official earlier this month that a pair of buffalo or geese, with an image of the sun rising over the Badlands, will adorn the state quarter in 2006.

For the past few weeks, the commission has been accepting comments by mail or through the governor's Web site (www.governor.state.nd.us).

Today is the last day to submit comments on the designs.

The public comments will be taken into account when the committee makes a final decision.

But officials are going to avoid a straight up or down vote on which one people like the best.

Although there will not be a tally on which design receives the most support, Don Larson, a spokesman for Hoeven, said the buffalo design has received more comments than the geese.

The commission meets at 10 a.m. Thursday in the Capitol.

Secretary of State Al Jaeger said the commission is on a short timeline because the United States Mint needs a final decision by May 31.

Jaeger said he is waiting until after he reads the public's input before he commits to a decision. "I would like to get a flavor of what people are saying," Jaeger said.