A referendum was held in Iceland 6 March 2010 under Act No. 4/2010. It was the first referendum after independence in 1944. Matters regarding the eligibility to vote and the electoral register were resolved in the same manner as in the parliamentary general elections to the Althingi. The majority of votes in the whole country should determine the result of the referendum.

The total number of voters on the electoral roll was 229,926 or 72.3% of the total population. Participation of voters in the referendum was 144,231 or 62.7%. Participation of male voters was 62.9% and 62.6% of female voters.

Previously, six referenda had taken place in Iceland during the period 1908–1944, two of which took place simultaneously in 1944. The participation in these referenda was between 44% and 98%.

The referendum was to conclude if Act No. 1/2010 should remain in force or become void. The Act stipulates the modification of Act No. 96/2009 which authorises the Minister of Finance, on behalf of the Treasury, to guarantee a loan to the Depositors’ and Investors’ Guarantee Fund from the states of Britain and the Netherlands to reimburse for payments made to depositors of the Landsbanki Íslands hf. The Althingi passed Act No. 1/2010 but the president vetoed it.

Two possible options were given on the ballot paper, i.e. “Yes, it should remain in force” and “No, it should not remain in force”.

In the referendum the great majority voted „no“ or 134,392 and 2,599 voted „yes“. Thus Act No. 1/2010 became void. The number of blank ballots was 6,744 and void ballots were 496.

Referendum 6 March 2010 - Statistical Series

Statistics