Last week, members of the Zumbrota City Council voted 3-2 to fly the old Minnesota state flag on city-owned property. With that vote, Zumbrota is among the most recent Minnesota cities to reject the new state flag, which became official almost two years ago.
In 2023, Democrats in control of state government passed an omnibus bill which created a state commission to redesign the Minnesota flag and seal. Democrats specifically gave that commission the power to choose the new flag without final approval from the legislature.
That commission had 13 voting members which included the Minnesota secretary of state, three appointees from the governor, American Indian representatives, and representatives from groups such as the Council of Latino Affairs, and the Council of African Heritage.
The commission’s new flag design was unveiled in December of 2023, and that design officially became the new state flag on May 11, 2024. The Minnesota Legislature never held a vote to either change or approve the design selected by the flag commission.
Since its unveiling, the new flag has been routinely derided with many saying the old flag is superior. Many homes and local governments in Greater Minnesota do not fly the new state flag, and many Minnesotans have noted the new flag’s resemblance to the Somali flag.
Last Thursday, Zumbrota considered a resolution spearheaded by City Council Member Kevin Amundson which would fly the old flag on city-owned property. Amundson wrote about his support for the old flag in a statement to his colleagues.
Among other things, Amundson said flying the old flag “would honor our state’s rich heritage, uphold its historical significance, and ensure a meaningful legacy for our posterity, while rectifying flaws in the recent redesign process.”
He noted that the “redesign was marred by significant shortcomings. The process lacked bipartisan consensus, there was no public referendum, and transparency was inadequate.”
During Thursday’s meeting, members of the public were given the chance to voice their opinion on the flag. Some speakers backed the old flag and were critical of the redesign process. Others supported the new flag and said the matter was not a city issue.
Ultimately, the council voted 3-2 to fly the old flag. Amundson was joined by City Council Members Bob Prigge and Fred Raasch in voting to fly the old flag. Meanwhile, Mayor Todd Hammel and City Council Member Joan Bucher voted against the proposal.
Last month, the City of Champlin also voted 3-2 to fly the old state flag. Elk River is considering doing the same.
Luke Sprinkel
Luke Sprinkel previously worked as a Legislative Assistant at the Minnesota House of Representatives. He grew up as a Missionary Kid (MK) living in England, Thailand, Tanzania, and the Middle East. Luke graduated from Regent University in 2018.
