They came from 42 states and two foreign countries. From young children and professionals.

They feature a virtual forest of pine tree designs, as well as lobsters, lighthouses, ocean waves and a stick-figure moose. One cheeky artist even worked in a photo of Chuck Norris.

More than 400 Maine state flag designs were submitted to Secretary of State Shenna Bellows before she and a panel of advisers narrowed down the field and chose the winner.

The chosen design, created by Adam Lemire, an architect from Gardiner, could soon become the official state flag that flies over the Capitol complex if Maine voters decide to make the change in November.

Most of the other submissions weren’t made public until after the selection was announced Monday. But we wanted you to have the chance to pick your own favorites.

To be considered as the new model flag, all entries had to include the elements of the original Maine state flag used in the early 1900s: a pine tree in the center, a blue star in the upper corner and a buff background. That clearly didn’t hold back some of the more creative entrants, who took full advantage of the artistic license.