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Maine Question 5

November 5, 2024 (2024-11-05)
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?
Proposed flag design
Results
Choice Votes % Yes 358,912 44.29% No 451,366 55.71%
County results No   70-80%   60-70%   50-60% Yes   50-60%

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v t e

The 2024 Maine flag referendum (formally known as Question 5) was a legislatively referred state statute held on November 5, 2024, that sought to change the official state flag from the current version, first enacted in 1909, to a variation of the 1901 flag.

The referendum was held concurrently with four other referendum questions, as well as the presidential election, a U.S. Senate election, U.S. House elections for Maine's two congressional districts, and various other state, county and local elections.

The referendum saw the new flag rejected by 56% to 44%.

Background

The referendum had initially been scheduled for 2023, but the Maine Legislature delayed it until 2024. The Legislature then attempted a further delay until 2026, which was vetoed by Governor Janet Mills. On August 5, 2024, the winner of the flag redesign contest was announced, with honors going to Adam Lemire of Gardiner, Maine. His design, chosen out of more than 400 entries, features a pine tree modeled after one he saw in Viles Arboretum in Augusta, Maine. It has sixteen branches, one for each of Maine's counties.

Supporters

Supporters of this referendum, such as former representative Sean Paulhus argue that "We are the pine tree state, and I think it is a good representative, all-inclusive design, our state flag currently with a blue background in our state seal looks very similar to many other state flags," as do New Hampshire's, Vermont's, Pennsylvania's, and New York's."

State legislators

• Eric Brakey, state senator (2014–2018, 2022–present)
• Sean Paulhus, former state representative (2019–2023)

Media

• Bangor Daily News

Opponents

Opponents of the referendum, such as representative Billy Bob Faulkingham, argue that "it goes back to Civil War significance to have that blue flag. The sailor and the farmer have historical significance back to the roots of the state of Maine, and that's what they represent"

State legislators

• Billy Bob Faulkingham, House minority leader (2022–present)
• Shelley Rudnicki, state representative

Result

The referendum, held as part of the 2024 United States elections, saw the proposed flag rejected by 56% to 44%.

Notes

1. Itself, a variation of the Pine Tree Flag, and occasionally referred to by that name.

References

1. Miller, Kevin (May 17, 2024). "Pine tree or state seal? Maine voters will decide on state flag design this fall". Maine Public. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
2. "Tabulation of Votes". Maine.gov. December 12, 2024. Retrieved December 12, 2024.
3. "Out with the old and in with the older? Maine flag vote delayed by governor".
4. Billings, Randy (July 26, 2023). "Maine state flag referendum will wait until next year". Press Herald. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
5. "Proposal to change Maine flag might not go to voters until 2026".
6. Miller, Kevin (May 17, 2024). "Pine tree or state seal? Maine voters will decide on state flag design this fall". Maine Public. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
7. Cook, Emily (August 5, 2024). "Flag contest winning design unveiled". Wiscasset Newspaper. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
8. ^ Hirschkorn, Phil (June 9, 2023). "Maine legislators consider changing the state flag back to the original design". WMTW. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
9. "Unfurling the facts in the 1901 Maine state flag debate". Press Herald. August 13, 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
10. "Yes on Question 5 for a more distinctive symbol of the Pine Tree State". Bangodailynews.com. October 18, 2024. Retrieved October 18, 2024.
11. A 'woke' flag? Culture war unfurls around new (old) design
12. Kaitlyn Budion (November 6, 2024). "Referendum to replace Maine state flag fails". Maine Public. Retrieved November 8, 2024.

External links

• 2024 Maine Question 5 at Ballotpedia
• H.P. 54, An Act to Restore the Former State of Maine Flag

v t e Elections and referendums in Maine
Presidential elections	1820 1824 1828 1832 1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024
Senate elections	Class 1 1916 1922 1928 1934 1940 1946 1952 1958 1964 1970 1976 1982 1988 1994 2000 2006 2012 2018 2024 Class 2 1918 1924 1930 1936 1942 1948 1954 1960 1966 1972 1978 1984 1990 1996 2002 2008 2014 2020
House elections	1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
Gubernatorial elections	1820 1821 1822 1823 1824 1825 1826 1827 1828 1829 1830 1831 1832 1833 1834 1835 1836 1837 1838 1839 1840 1841 1842 1843 1844 1845 1846 1847 1848 1849 1850 1852 1853 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859 1860 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 2026
Legislative elections	State Senate 2018 2020 2022 2024 State House 2018 2020 2022 2024
Referendums	2009 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2020 2021 2023 2024

• 2024 ballot measures
• 2024 Maine elections
• Flags of Maine
• Flag referendums