Maine holds contest for new flag design

Flag submissions must follow the creative guidelines put forth by the state government.

(NewsNation) — The state of Maine is asking people to submit designs for a new state flag, with the winner being put up for a vote in November.

The contest is part of an effort to create a more distinctive look for the state flag. Maine's current flag shows the state's seal, which depicts a man standing on each side of a shield that shows a moose sleeping under a pine tree, on a blue background.

Maine is just one of many states that use the state seal on the flag, and lawmakers voted last year to let voters determine if the state will adopt a new look for the flag.

To find a potential alternative, the state has launched a contest and is asking for submissions. However, there are some design limits.

The new flag must be on a buff background with a pine tree in the center and a blue, five-pointed North Star in the upper corner. It must also be simple enough for a child to draw from memory.

Those elements come from an older version of the state flag used from 1901 to 1909, a version of which appeared on sweatshirts, hats and other items during Maine's 2020 bicentennial.

But that flag has also been compared to a more controversial flag featuring a pine tree and the words "An appeal to heaven." That pine tree flag dates to the Revolutionary War but has recently been adopted by Christian Nationalists, sparking furor when it was seen hanging outside the home of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito.

Maine lawmakers have denied that the contest has any relationship to that controversy, saying the vote over a state flag has nothing to do with partisan politics.

Anyone can submit a flag proposal, though anyone under 18 must have permission from a parent or guardian. The work must be original and cannot be generated by artificial intelligence. The deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. ET on July 19.

The winner won't receive any compensation beyond being able to say they designed a state flag, and the design may be modified by the secretary of state's office.

The winning flag will be put to the test at the ballot box in November when voters will have the option to choose between the current flag and the contest winner to represent the state going forward.