Outcome of thecounting of votes cast in the referendum on 20 October 2012.

The National Electoral Commission has released details of the outcome of the counting of votes in the referendum held on 20 October 2012. The commission will meet on Monday, 29 October, to declare the results. Complaints alleging invalidity of the referendum may be submitted to the National Electoral Commission; this must be done not later than two days prior to the aforementioned meeting.

The announcement by the National Electoral Commission follows below.

Counting of votes in the referendum held on 20 October 2012 on the proposals by the Constitutional Council for a draft Constitutional Act and particular points relating to the proposals was completed at 10.40 p.m. on 21 October. According to reports from the constituency electoral commissions, there were 236,903 voters on the electoral register, and 115,980 persons voted.

The votes cast in answer to Questions 1-6 were as follows:

1. Do you wish the Constitution Council's proposals to form the basis of a new draft Constitution?

Yes, I wish the Constitution Council's proposals to form the basis of a new draft Constitution.

Votes             Proportion
73,408            64.2 %

No, I do not wish the Constitution Council's proposals to form the basis of a new draft Constitution.

Votes             Proportion
36,252            31.7 %

2. In the new Constitution, do you want natural resources that are not privately owned to be declared national property?

Votes                         Proportion
Yes     84,633             74.0 %
No      17,441             15.2 % 

3. Would you like to see provisions in the new Constitution on an established (national) church in Iceland?

Votes                           Proportion
Yes     58,354             51.1 %
No      43,861             38.3 % 

4. Would you like to see a provision in the new Constitution authorising the election of particular individuals to the Althingi more than is the case at present?

Votes                           Proportion
Yes     78,356             68.5 %
No      21,623             18.9 % 

5. Would you like to see a provision in the new Constitution giving equal weight to votes cast in all parts of the country?

Votes                          Proportion
Yes     66,554            58.2 %
No      33,536             29.3 % 

6. Would you like to see a provision in the new Constitution stating that a certain proportion of the electorate is able to demand that issues are put to a referendum?

Votes                          Proportion
Yes    72,523             63.4 %
No      26,402             23.1 %

There were 1,493 invalid ballot papers, of which 661 were blank and 832 were invalid for other reasons.

The National Electoral Commission has also received transcripts of the records of the constituency electoral commissions. The National Electoral Commission has decided that it will meet at 12.00 noon on Monday, 29 October next, in order to declare the results of the referendum. Complaints alleging invalidity of the referendum may be submitted to the National Electoral Commission; such complaints must be submitted to the National Electoral Commission not later than two days prior to the commission‘s meeting. Following the meeting, the National Electoral Commission will inform the Ministry of the Interior of its conclusions. The ministry will then announce the result of the referendum in the Official Gazette and on the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service.

National Electoral Commission, 23 October 2012.