Home > 5.2 Content of the referendum > Revised Code of Good Practice on Referendums
 
 
 
Download file    
 
 
5
 

Voting modalities:


a. Questions submitted to referendum will preferably allow replies only by yes, no or a blank vote (binary question).


b. A vote on two or more alternatives is, however, not excluded (multi-option referendum). For example:


i. Parliament may be entitled to put forward a counter-proposal to a popular initiative, which will be put to the popular vote at the same time;
ii. Two or more alternatives may be proposed.


In these cases:


i. the voting system should ensure that a text is accepted only if it obtains an absolute majority;
ii. if binary questions on each proposal are possible, it should be possible to vote “yes” or “no” to each of them;
iii. if several options are submitted to the vote simultaneously; voting for the status quo should be possible.


If more than one option obtains a majority,


i. the one with more votes could be applied, or
ii. a subsidiary question could be asked as to which one is to be applied, or
iii. (a) run-off(s) could be organised, or
iv. preferential (alternative) vote could be applied.