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Shenna Bellows is Maine’s secretary of state.
Throughout history, in days of peace and days of conflict, we as Americans are united by a common symbol — the American flag. As schoolchildren, we pledged allegiance to the flag daily. As adults, we all stand in honor of the flag whether we’re kicking off a town meeting or a baseball game.
As Mainers, we have had two official state flags in our history. The 1901 state flag featured Maine’s north star and pine tree on a buff background. It was Maine’s first state flag and stayed with us until 1909. In 1909, the state flag was changed to feature the great Maine state seal on a background matching the blue of the American flag.
It is important to recognize that interpretations of the state flag varied. In the earliest of days flags were painted by hand and one flag maker’s interpretation might vary significantly from another’s. Even the official Maine state flag today flying in different places across our state varies slightly depending on the manufacturer.
Last year, a bipartisan law led by former Democratic Rep. Sean Paulhus of Bath and outgoing Republican Sen. Eric Brakey of Auburn passed to give voters the option to reflect on the 1901 and 1909 flags and choose again which should represent our state.
The language of the ballot question in November will be very clear: “Do you favor making the former state flag, replaced as the official flag of the State in 1909 and commonly known as the Pine Tree Flag, the official flag of the State?”
The law passed by the Legislature requires me as secretary of state to develop a model design to transmit to the adjutant general.
This is a duty I proudly undertake because the symbols that represent us — that unify us as a state and nation — those symbols mean a lot. Our flags flown with pride matter.
But this duty bestowed upon me by the Legislature is not a job I can do alone. That’s why I invite every Mainer to consider submitting a design for the model state flag to the secretary of state for consideration. The rules of the contest are clear. Anyone can enter a design, but the design must reflect the language that will be voted on by every Maine voter in November. Given the tight timeline, we’ve created an online portal for submission of designs on our website. The deadline for submissions to be received is 5 p.m. Friday, July 19.
A full copy of the rules is available on our website as is a design brief to provide guidance to participants. But I can summarize the rules in three main points. First, the design must include a blue north star and a green pine tree on a buff background. The design cannot include any words or any elements other than the north star and pine tree. Finally, the creator of the design must be willing to grant rights to the design to the state of Maine.
While I will select a model design as I am required to do by law, ultimately voters will decide when they go to vote in November. To every Maine voter I say this: However you feel when you evaluate the 1901 flag (and its 2024 interpretation) or the 1909 flag, you will have the right to vote in November and know your vote will decide what flag we use moving forward.
To be clear, the selection of a model state flag won’t mean that there can’t be other versions. I’ve seen reflections of the 1901 state flag modeled in wonderful Maine-made gifts and products across many sectors from sea bags to baseball caps to L.L. Bean boots, and of course, we have at least two proud Maine companies producing flags with the 1901 design, each interpreted differently.
My hope for Maine is that this decision will be a fun one, and that the contest will bring joy to any artist, graphic designer or vexillologist out there who is passionate about what the north star or pine tree should look like on a flag.
It’s a debate delightfully free of politics in that your choice of design has nothing to do with party. You can be free to love the simplicity of the north star and pine tree or free to love the complexity of the north star, pine tree, sailor, farmer and moose. Quite frankly, I love both the pine tree flag and the Dirigo flag. But just as our nation has one American flag, so shall our state have one official state flag. Which one Mainers choose will be up to voters in November.