Thu. Nov 28th, 2024

Maine voters rejected a ballot question on Nov. 5, 2024, that would have returned the Pine Tree flag as the official state flag. (AnnMarie Hilton/Maine Morning Star)

The beloved pine tree design will not return to its former status as the official state flag. 

Maine voters decided Tuesday not to replace the current state flag with a new design that is a riff on the flag bearing a pine tree and blue star already seen across the state. Forty five percent of people voted in support of the new design compared to 55% who voted to keep the current design.

Earlier polling indicated it would be a close decision, which proved to be true. Results were not called by The Associated Press until Wednesday afternoon after 80% of the vote had been counted.

Adam Lemire of Gardiner designed the proposed flag that was selected as the winner of the Maine State Flag Redesign Contest earlier this year. It had to adhere to specifications laid out in state statute, and Lemire was intentional with the details of the design. The tree in the design represents an Eastern White Pine, Maine’s state tree, and has 16 branches to represent the 16 counties.

Voters were asked whether they’d like to make Lemire’s design the official state flag in Question 5 on Tuesday’s ballot that read: 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?

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