Maine secretary of state receives more than 350 entries in flag design contest

More than 350 people submitted proposals for a redesign of the original Maine state flag that will be the subject of a referendum vote this November.

The so-called pine tree flag, featuring a pine tree and a blue star set against a buff background, was only the official state flag for a few years in the early 1900s. But the 1901 design has exploded in popularity in recent years, showing up on T-shirts, bumper stickers, hats, lapel pins and, of course, atop flagpoles across the state.

After several years of debate, state lawmakers opted to give voters a choice this fall: either stick with the current state flag, featuring the state seal against a dark-blue background, or revert back to the 1901 version. But with so many subtle variations out there, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows launched a design contest last month asking Mainers to submit their proposed design for a new take on the old flag.

The contest deadline was 5 p.m. Friday. And Bellows said her office had already received more than 350 entries as of Friday morning.

“I think that’s incredibly exciting,” Bellows said. “It tells me that Mainers are creative and artistic. And I look forward to seeing all of the entries.”

To be considered, every submission must meet the same basic criteria: a buff-colored flag featuring “a pine tree proper” in the center and a five-pointed north star in blue in the upper corner. The legislation authorizing the referendum also specified the required distances between the images.

Bellows said she had not looked at any of the proposed designs because she didn’t want to prejudice herself before all of the entries were submitted. A group of advisers will recommend finalists, although the decision rests with Bellows, who plans to look at every entry.

“I think this is a really fun opportunity for Mainers to engage in something that is fairly low stakes but still important,” Bellows said. “The symbols that represent us as a state are something that unites us. And it’s a fun conversation and debate that is free of partisanship or rancor.”

She plans to unveil the final design in August, in time for the image to be included in the pre-election voter guide published by her office. The winner of the contest will not receive any compensation, however.

The flag referendum will be one of at least two ballot questions presented to voters this fall along with three bond measures. Maine voters will also cast ballots for president, Maine’s two U.S. House members, one U.S. Senate seat and all 186 seats in the Maine Legislature.

“My hope is that this will be the easiest decision that voters will make this November,” Bellows said.

This article appears through a media partnership with Maine Public .