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| New Zealand Picks a Challenger for Nation’s Flag | New Zealand Picks a Challenger for Nation’s Flag |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| SYDNEY, Australia — New Zealanders have a new flag to consider, and not many of them seem happy about it. | SYDNEY, Australia — New Zealanders have a new flag to consider, and not many of them seem happy about it. |
| If the numbers released on Friday did not quite tell the story, Dave Baxter, a 52-year-old hotel manager, summed it up succinctly. “I’m so ambivalent about it, I didn’t bother to vote,” Mr. Baxter said from Wellington, the capital. | |
| Of five proposals for a new national banner, four of which featured variations on a symbolic fern, the flag known as Silver Fern (Black, White and Blue) probably won a nationwide postal referendum, according to preliminary results released by New Zealand’s Electoral Commission on Friday. | |
| Once results are confirmed, the winning design will have to triumph in a second referendum to decide whether it replaces New Zealand’s existing flag. | |
| The electoral commission said on Friday that 48.1 percent of the country’s 3.1 million registered voters, or around 1.5 million people, had ranked the finalists. The field had been whittled down to five by 12 experts on the Flag Consideration Panel, appointed by lawmakers from six of New Zealand’s political parties. | The electoral commission said on Friday that 48.1 percent of the country’s 3.1 million registered voters, or around 1.5 million people, had ranked the finalists. The field had been whittled down to five by 12 experts on the Flag Consideration Panel, appointed by lawmakers from six of New Zealand’s political parties. |
| The Silver Fern (Black, White and Blue) seems to have beaten more than 10,000 designs, one featuring a kiwi bird with green lasers shooting from its eyes, one with a woolly, gamboling sheep with red stars for eyes, and another with swirls of white cloud on an aqua background. | |
| Voting on the flag closed on Friday, though votes by mail can be counted until noon on Tuesday, after which the government will officially announce the winner. | Voting on the flag closed on Friday, though votes by mail can be counted until noon on Tuesday, after which the government will officially announce the winner. |
| The design that appears to have won garnered 50.53 percent of the vote in a complicated system, though it was not the voters’ most popular choice. | |
| Another flag, known as Silver Fern (Red, White and Blue), received the greatest number of supporters. But lower-ranked flags were knocked out in successive rounds of tallying, and votes were redistributed. Silver Fern (Red, White and Blue) had 49.47 percent of the vote to finish second, according to the provisional results. | |
| “It isn’t over yet,” said John Burrows, chairman of the Flag Consideration Panel. “The final votes could make a difference.” | “It isn’t over yet,” said John Burrows, chairman of the Flag Consideration Panel. “The final votes could make a difference.” |
| Almost 10 percent of voters spoiled their ballots or voted incorrectly, making their first preferences illegible, the electoral commission said. More people submitted spoiled ballots than voted for three of the five finalists, said Barry Milne, a research fellow at the University of Auckland. | Almost 10 percent of voters spoiled their ballots or voted incorrectly, making their first preferences illegible, the electoral commission said. More people submitted spoiled ballots than voted for three of the five finalists, said Barry Milne, a research fellow at the University of Auckland. |
| A survey in November of about 1,000 people showed support for adopting one of the silver fern flags at around 35 percent. “Consistently, between 60 and 70 percent of voters have said they prefer the existing flag,” he said. | A survey in November of about 1,000 people showed support for adopting one of the silver fern flags at around 35 percent. “Consistently, between 60 and 70 percent of voters have said they prefer the existing flag,” he said. |
| The second nationwide referendum will pit the winning design against the incumbent: a blue banner with Britain’s Union Jack in the upper left quadrant and the four stars of the Southern Cross in red on the right. | |
| That vote will take place in March. Kyle Lockwood, who designed both of the flags that received the most votes in the first round, said the final, binding vote could be closer now that people had a design on which to focus. | |
| Others disagreed, showing little zeal for change. “We have one-sixth of eligible voters deciding what flag we should have,” said Richard Still, 80, a retired accountant. “It is the tail wagging the dog.” | Others disagreed, showing little zeal for change. “We have one-sixth of eligible voters deciding what flag we should have,” said Richard Still, 80, a retired accountant. “It is the tail wagging the dog.” |
| Mr. Still, from Auckland, said he did not favor changing the national banner. “I am a fan of the present flag,” he said. “I was bought up under that flag, and it suits me fine.” | |
| Janice Clarkson, 46, a small-business owner from Hamilton on the North Island, said the black and blue color scheme, and the internationally recognized emblem of New Zealand’s rugby team, the silver fern, were a winning combination, particularly after the New Zealand All Blacks’ third Rugby World Cup victory, in October. | Janice Clarkson, 46, a small-business owner from Hamilton on the North Island, said the black and blue color scheme, and the internationally recognized emblem of New Zealand’s rugby team, the silver fern, were a winning combination, particularly after the New Zealand All Blacks’ third Rugby World Cup victory, in October. |
| “We are a country governed by rugby,” she said. “I exercised my democratic right to vote. But I do think the money could have been better spent.” | “We are a country governed by rugby,” she said. “I exercised my democratic right to vote. But I do think the money could have been better spent.” |
| New Zealand is a member of the Commonwealth and is a constitutional monarchy under Queen Elizabeth II. Prime Minister John Key describes himself as a monarchist, but one that wants a strong emblem on his nation’s flag. | New Zealand is a member of the Commonwealth and is a constitutional monarchy under Queen Elizabeth II. Prime Minister John Key describes himself as a monarchist, but one that wants a strong emblem on his nation’s flag. |
| He has also said that he is tired of the confusion over New Zealand’s flag, which resembles that of neighboring Australia. More than once, he says, he has been asked to stand in front of an Australian flag at overseas receptions. | He has also said that he is tired of the confusion over New Zealand’s flag, which resembles that of neighboring Australia. More than once, he says, he has been asked to stand in front of an Australian flag at overseas receptions. |
| He says the estimated $17.5 million it will cost to hold two postal votes, including sharing information about the various options, is money well spent. | |
| Colin Stitt, 87, from Auckland, agreed. Mr. Stitt, a retired businessman and board director, said he, too, had been placed in front of Australia’s flag at business functions. | |
| But back at the Good Home, a pub in Hamilton, Ms. Clarkson said few patrons were talking about the flag. | |
| When asked whether he liked the alternative under consideration, while a band blared in the background, Johnny McDougall, 27, shouted: “I haven’t seen it.” |