Mainers reject pine flag design; it will remain unofficial state symbol

Question 5 sought to restore the 1901 Pine Flag. But with nearly 80% of the votes counted Wednesday afternoon, it became clear that won’t happen—at least not this year.

More than 669,000 people voted in favor of the measure, which lawmakers agreed to submit to a civic referendum in 2023. As of Wednesday afternoon, 55% of voters had voted in favor of the current design, which features the Maine seal on a blue background.

Pine Tree Flag Supporters praised its simple design and contrast against the flags of other states. David Martucci, a vexillologist who has fought for decades to bring back the old flag, said he believes it is the state’s best version, although it was short-lived. (Maine abandoned the pine flag in 1909.)

Martucci said in a phone interview Wednesday that he was disappointed in the loss but still plans to fly his pine flag as high as possible.

“It’s still the Maine flag,” Martucci said. “It’s still the historic Maine flag—you can still buy it, you can still fly it. It doesn’t stop people from using it.”

In recent years, the design has become something of an unofficial state flag, appearing on souvenirs and gifts in stores across the state.

Opponents warned that replacing flags at state institutions could be costly and that the state seal is also important to Maine’s history.

The issue has prompted dozens of letters to the editor over the past few months protesting the proposed change.

“As the old saying goes, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,'” Roland Gagne wrote in letter to the editornoting that the current Maine flag has been around much longer.

Diane Smith said there are “so many other practical places to spend tax dollars” and Don Means questioned whether the proposed Pine Tree design was too similar to others used during the January 6, 2021 insurrection.

In May some people voiced concerns that the flag is too similar to the Appeal to Heaven flag, which has become a symbol of Christian nationalism and false claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen. (Proponents of the pine flag disagreed that the flags could be confused with each other.)

Richard Speer said the proposed flag does not fully reflect Maine’s uniqueness, including its “iconic Atlantic coastline,” and does not pay tribute to Civil War veterans like the current flag.

Anna Schaeffer, graduate student at the University of Southern Maine in Portland, told the Press Herald last week that her most controversial decision was voting against the flag.

“I think this is probably my hottest idea: I voted against the new flag,” she said. “It’s so cartoonish that I think it’s just a T-shirt design.”

Voters who spoke to the Portland Press Herald on Election Day ran the gamut, dividing Mainers regardless of political party.

In Gorham, it even separated couples. Andrea Chadburn told a reporter Tuesday she believes the measure is costly and pointless. Her husband Scott said he voted for it.

“When I was a kid, I failed a school test because I couldn’t draw,” Scott Chadburn said. “But give me a pine tree, a star – I can do it! So yes, I say change it.”

Many said they were glad to see something light-hearted and extremely local on the ballot in an otherwise contentious presidential election.

Former Democratic Representative Sean Paulhaus, who sponsored The 2023 law that initiated the referendumsaid Wednesday that he was honored to see the momentum he saw leading up to the election.

Even though it did not pass, Paulhaus said he believed the referendum taught people about the history of the flag and how elections work. It included all miners, even those too young to vote in elections, but were allowed to voice their opinions while voting. Secretary of State Pine Flag Design Competition.

“It’s definitely been a journey,” Paulhaus said. “Would I like to succeed? Of course, but I understand that Mainers decided so. But I think there were still quite a few people who supported it.”

David Martucci, vexillologist, with the original 1901 Maine flag design. Gregory Reck/Portland Press Herald

Martucci said he believed the contest was too confusing and voters were misled. He disputed concerns about the cost, saying the referendum would not require Maine citizens to purchase the flag.

Legislative Assembly staff previously stated government agencies will bear most of the costs replace the flag within existing budgets. (The state regularly replaces flags as they become worn and worn out, according to fiscal note under LD 86, the bill that proposed changes in a referendum.)

For Martucci, the battle isn’t over yet. He said he will continue to advocate for the pine flag to become official.

“I think Maine was unique in that we had a great flag design that we abandoned in 1909—at least to me and other people who liked the flag design, it was obvious that there was value in that design. come back,” Martucci said. .

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