As Minnesota’s redesigned state flag officially replaced its predecessor in 2024, some rural counties and cities across the state are resisting the change.
According to reports from local media, Crow Wing, Nobles, Houston, and McLeod counties passed resolutions rejecting the new flag design, citing concerns about cost and cultural heritage.
Cities including Pequot Lakes, Crosslake, and Babbitt have also opted not to fly the flag, with some continuing to display the retired banner and others leaving state flagpoles empty, according to the Star Tribune.
While state-owned buildings are required to display the new flag, counties and cities are not obligated to make the switch, the outlet reported.
Local officials have cited a mix of reasons for rejecting the flag. In some areas, county administrators pointed to the cost of replacing existing flags and seals on government buildings. Others said residents remain attached to the traditional design and view the new flag as divisive, according to reports.
Walz calls old flag ‘highly offensive’
On a Twin Cities radio show last year, Gov. Tim Walz dismissed Republican efforts to halt the flag and seal redesign.
“Minnesota is a diverse state, it continues to grow. This flag was crafted in the 1890s,” said Walz. “It’s highly offensive to a large number of people, and there’s very little debate about that.”
The previous flag, in use since 1957, featured the state seal on a blue background and had been criticized for its similarity to other state flags and for allegedly containing offensive imagery. Authors of the redesign bill argued the flag contained tones of racial prejudice towards Native Americans.
DFL-led process produces new flag
The new flag was the product of a redesign process mandated by the then DFL-controlled legislature and carried out by a 13-member commission, which received thousands of submissions from the public before settling on the final design. Critics of the process described it as rushed and politically lopsided.
The redesign officially became Minnesota’s new flag on May 11, 2024. It features a minimalist blue and white design with an eight-point star intended to reflect Minnesota’s motto, “Star of the North.”
Eight-pointed star sparks debate
Minnesota’s flag fight is part of a growing national conversation about civic symbols.
According to The Daily Mail, the eight-point star’s rise in flag designs has caused debate about whether such design choices reflect a shift in cultural or political values in American society.
“Dozens of cities and states have adopted — or are considering — new flag designs featuring the unfamiliar eight-point star, a symbol critics claim is more common in Islam than in U.S. history,” the outlet reported.
“Although the geometric symbol has roots in various cultures and religions around the world, it has rarely appeared in American flag iconography, which has long favored the traditional five-point star, popularized in Betsy Ross’s design of Old Glory,” The Daily Mail added.
Jenna Gloeb
Jenna Gloeb is an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist, media producer, public speaker, and screenwriter. Most recently, she worked as a reporter and on-air host for CCX Media. Jenna is a Minnesota native and resides in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, daughter, and two dogs.
