An Act Requiring a Referendum to Restore the Former Maine Flag
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 1069
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: BRAKEY, PAULHUS, BAILEY, BALDACCI, BOYER, HYMES, MORRIS, RISEMAN
Amends: 1 MRSA §206

Legislative Document
No. 1069
S.P. 438
In Senate, March 9, 2023
An Act Requiring a Referendum to Restore the Former Maine Flag
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator BRAKEY of Androscoggin.
Cosponsored by Representative PAULHUS of Bath and
Senators: BAILEY of York, BALDACCI of Penobscot, Representatives: BOYER of Poland, 
HYMES of Waldo, MORRIS of Turner, RISEMAN of Harrison.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  1 MRSA §206 is amended to read:
§206.  State flag
The flag to be known as the official flag of the State shall be of The former official flag 
of the State, described as blue, of the same color as the blue field in the flag of the United 
States, and of the following dimensions and designs; to wit, the length or height of the staff 
to be 9 feet, including brass spearhead and ferrule; the fly of said flag to be 5 feet 6 inches, 
and to be 4 feet 4 inches on the staff; in the center of the flag there shall to be embroidered 
in silk on both sides of the flag the coat of arms of the State, in proportionate size; the edges 
to be trimmed with knotted fringe of yellow silk, 2 1/2 inches wide; a cord, with tassels, to 
be attached to the staff at the spearhead, to be 8 feet 6 inches long and composed of white 
and blue silk strands, is known as the Maine State Seal Flag. A flag made in accordance 
with the description given in this section shall be kept in the office of the Adjutant General 
as a model.
The flag to be known as the official flag of the State must be buff, charged with the 
emblem of the State, a pine tree proper, in the center, and the North Star, a mullet of 5 
points, in blue in the upper corner; the star to be equidistant from the hoist and the upper 
border of the flag, the distance from the 2 borders to the center of the star being equal to 
the 1/4 of the hoist, this distance and the size of the star being proportionate to the size of 
the flag. A flag made in accordance with the description given in this paragraph must be 
kept in the office of the Adjutant General as a model.
Sec. 2. Statutory referendum procedure; submission at election; form of 
question; effective date.  This Act must be submitted to the legal voters of the State at 
a statewide election held in the month of November following passage of this Act.  The 
municipal officers of this State shall notify the inhabitants of their respective cities, towns 
and plantations to meet, in the manner prescribed by law for holding a statewide election, 
to vote on the acceptance or rejection of this Act by voting on the following question:
"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 and designating the current official flag of the State as the 
Maine State Seal Flag?"
The legal voters of each city, town and plantation shall vote by ballot on this question 
and designate their choice by a cross or check mark placed within a corresponding square 
below the word "Yes" or "No."  The ballots must be received, sorted, counted and declared 
in open ward, town and plantation meetings and returns made to the Secretary of State in 
the same manner as votes for members of the Legislature.  The Governor shall review the 
returns.  If a majority of the legal votes are cast in favor of this Act, the Governor shall 
proclaim the result without delay and this Act becomes effective 30 days after the date of 
the proclamation.
The Secretary of State shall prepare and furnish to each city, town and plantation all 
ballots, returns and copies of this Act necessary to carry out the purposes of this 
referendum.
SUMMARY
This bill authorizes for referendum the question as to whether to make 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 and to designate the current official flag of the State as 
the Maine State Seal Flag.