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New Zealand Votes to Keep Its Flag in Referendum

In a referendum, New Zealand has voted to keep its 112-year-old national flag which features a Union Jack.

New Zealand in a referendum voted to keep its current national flag which features a Union Jack.

Prime Minister John Key first suggested revamping the 112-year-old flag – featuring a Union Flag in the corner – as it represented the country’s colonial era and it looked too similar to Australia’s.

“Our current flag reflects the way we once were, rather than the way we are now,” he said.

According to the New Zealand Electoral Commission, 1.2 million people, or 56.6 percent voted to keep the current flag and 915,000 people, or 43.1 percent voting for the Silver Fern flag.

New Zealand Flag
NZFlag Silver
Proposed Silver Fern Flag

Total votes received were 2,124,507, which included 4,942 informal votes (0.23 percent) and 4,554 invalid votes (0.21 percent.) Total voter turnout was 67.3 percent.

https://twitter.com/WestCapeTribune/status/712912597776003072

The results of the referendum, which is estimated to have cost NZ$26m ($17.4m), are expected be officially declared Wednesday, March 30.

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