Northlanders wouldn't mind seeing a fern on a new flag but fancy the current design even more.
After 10,292 designs were submitted for a vote on a new flag, a long list of 40 designs was released on Monday afternoon.
Of the 40, 20 feature the Southern Cross, which is on the existing flag, 19 feature a koru pattern of some type, 11 feature a fern, two feature the seven stars of Matariki, and 14 have a combination of two features.
Yesterday, the Northern Advocate asked Northlanders what design they liked best and if the flag should be changed at all. The results of our unscientific survey showed while there was no particular design to come out on top, people gravitated towards designs featuring the fern. Despite this, all punters we talked to agreed keeping the original flag was the best option.
The 40 designs will be narrowed down to four flags to be ranked by voters. The two-part referendum will be by postal ballot: the first vote in November will pick the most popular alternative from the final four; the second vote in March will pit the existing flag against the most popular alternative.