New England Online > Government & Politics > Politics > Referenda
Referenda & Plebiscites
In New England, there are two types of direct voting in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. These are known as referenda for constitutional amendment proposals, and plebiscites for other matters which have a significant bearing on public policy but are not changes to the constitution.
New England maintains a compulsory voting system, with all electors over the age of sixteen being required to vote in any referenda or plebiscite. To date, ten referenda and plebiscites have been held, of which eight have been passed.
- Referenda
- Plebiscites
- County Level Votes
- List of Referenda & Plebiscites
Referenda
The Constitution can be amended only with the approval of the electorate. Voting in a referendum is compulsory for those on the Electoral Roll. Any proposed alteration must be put to the direct vote of the entire electorate in a referendum and any alteration must be approved by a 'double majority', that is:
- A national majority of electors; and
- A majority of electors in a majority of the Counties (that is, at least seven of the thirteen).
The 'double majority' provision, copied from Australia, makes alterations to the Constitution more difficult.
The Monarch issues a Writ for the referendum. The date set for the close of rolls is seven days after the issue of the writ; and polling day, which must be on a Saturday, is not less than 33 days or more than 58 days after the issue of the writ. The Electoral Commissioner has yes and no cases printed together with a statement showing the proposed alterations. This must be posted to every elector on the roll no later than fourteen days before polling day.
Voting procedures are similar to those for elections except that electors vote by writing either 'Yes' or 'No' in the box opposite each question on the ballot paper. The writs are usually returned within twenty-one days of the vote and if the referendum is carried, the proposed law is given Royal Assent by the Monarch within 72 hours of the return of the writ.
Plebiscites
The second type of vote are the plebiscites These votes can be initiated by the government to "test the waters" or by a petition of 10,000 signatures. It should be noted that these votes are non-binding, and apart from stating the express will of the people, do not carry any force. There have been four since independence.
County Level Votes
So far, the majority of referenda and plebiscites have been at the local level. It is here that individual counties have elected to stage votes for major policy initiatives or changes to county governance in a particular area. Such votes can be seen as political statements towards the government, and have been used by opposition parties to embarrass a government.
List of Referenda & Plebiscites
| Referenda and Plebiscites* | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Date | Type | Issue | Yes | No | Fate |
| 1 | 5 November 2011 | Referendum | Treaty of Wellington | See Notes | Carried | |
| 2 | 30 June 2012 | Referendum | Constitution of New England | 87.52 | 12.48 | Carried |
| 3 | 18 July 2015 | Referendum | Term of Parliament | 65.21 | 34.79 | Carried |
| 4 | 2 March 2019 | Referendum | Creation of Witan | 57.28 | 42.72 | Carried |
| 2020 | Change to voting system | 64.44 | 35.56 | Carried | ||
| 2 March 2024 | Plebiscite | National Service | 45.77 | 54.23 | Failed | |
| 5 | 4 March 2034 | Plebiscite | National Service | 66.21 | 33.79 | Carried |
| 6 | 6 March 2038 | Referendum | Territorial Claims | 88.25 | 11.75 | Carried |
| Expended Provisions | 52.22 | 47.78 | Carried | |||
| 7 | 5 March 2044 | Plebiscite | Summer Time | 36.99 | 63.01 | Failed |
| 8 | 2 March 2052 | Plebiscite | Airport Taxation | 68.74 | 31.26 | Carried |
* Nation-wide votes only.
