The state received more than 400 entries in a contest to design what could become the new Maine flag.

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said she will now work with a team to winnow down the submissions and choose a winner by next month.

“I will carefully review all of the submissions,” she said. “I think it’s really exciting to think about how we want to be represented.”

In January, “An Act to Restore the Former State of Maine Flag” became law. It set out specific requirements for the design, including that it must be buff colored with a pine tree in the center and a North Star with five points in the upper corner.

(Associated Press)

And while the law specified the flag’s design, it also leaves it up to the voters to decide whether to stick with the current flag or adopt a new one.

The current blue flag with the state seal flanked by a farmer and a fisherman dates to 1909. The pine tree design goes back to 1901 and has gained popularity in recent years.

Emily Cook, communications director for the Maine Department of Secretary of State, said while the design parameters for a new flag are strict, artists still have plenty of leeway.

 “As you can see, sort of driving around Maine, seeing what different hats and shirts and different bags people have, there are lot of different ways you can interpret that basic design,” she said.

During testimony on the bill, former Rep. Sean Paulhus (D-Bath) said Maine deserves a distinctive flag.

“The best flags tend to stand out and are usually a significant departure from flag-versions of official seals,” he said. “Our current flag is easily lost in a crowd of other states’ flags that are similarly marked by ornate, overcrowded seals.”

Bellows testified neither for nor against the bill, saying that the reason the state switched from the 1901 flag to the current flag just eight years later is lost to history.

And while Mainers will make many potentially divisive decisions on Nov. 5 — including choosing a president, voting for members of Congress and the Legislature, and deciding other ballot questions — she hopes the flag vote can be a chance to come together.

“I do think in challenging times when there can be so much that divides us symbols and flags can show our unity as Mainers,” she said.