1977 Swiss referendums
# 1977 Swiss referendums

Fourteen referendums were held in Switzerland in 1977. The first three were held on 13 March on popular initiatives on foreign infiltration, limiting naturalisation and changing the rules on referendums on treaties (which also had a counter-proposal). All three were rejected, whilst the counter-proposal was approved. The next two were held on 12 June on changes to sales tax and direct federal taxation (rejected) and on tax harmonisation (approved).

The next set of referendums was held on 25 September on popular initiatives on protecting tenants (rejected, with a counter-proposal also rejected), air pollution caused by motor vehicles (rejected), and a law allowing abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy (rejected), as well as on two government proposals to raise the number of signatures required for optional referendums (approved) and popular initiatives (approved).

The final four referendums were held on 4 December on a popular initiative on a wealth tax (rejected) and three federal law on political rights (approved), creating a civilian alternative to military service (rejected) and on balancing the federal budget (approved).

## Results

### March: Foreign infiltration

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 495,904 | 29.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Against | 1,182,820 | 70.5 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Blank votes | 29,949 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 2,382 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,711,055 | 100 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,785,693 | 45.2 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### March: Limiting naturalisation

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 568,867 | 33.8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Against | 1,116,188 | 66.2 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Blank votes | 24,673 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 2,245 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,711,973 | 100 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,785,693 | 45.2 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### March: Changes to treaty referendums

| Choice | Popular initiative | Popular initiative | Popular initiative | Popular initiative | Popular initiative | Counterproposal | Counterproposal | Counterproposal | Counterproposal | Counterproposal |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 351,127 | 21.9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 978,999 | 61.0 | 18 | 5 | 20.5 |
| Against | 1,158,376 | 72.2 | 19 | 6 | 22 | 502,825 | 31.3 | 1 | 1 | 1.5 |
| No answer | 94,944 | 5.9 | – | – | – | 122,623 | 7.6 | – | – | – |
| Blank votes | 69,935 | – | – | – | – | 69,935 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 27,519 | – | – | – | – | 27,519 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,701,901 | 100 | 19 | 6 | 22 | 1,701,901 | 100 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,785,693 | 45.0 | – | – | – | 3,785,693 | 45.0 | – | – | – |
| Source: Direct Democracy |||||||||||

### June: Changes to sales tax and direct federal tax

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 760,830 | 40.5 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Against | 1,117,044 | 59.5 | 18 | 6 | 21 |
| Blank votes | 18,616 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 1,778 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,898,268 | 100 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,795,796 | 50.0 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### June: Tax harmonisation

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 1,133,652 | 61.3 | 16 | 3 | 17.5 |
| Against | 715,072 | 38.7 | 3 | 3 | 4.5 |
| Blank votes | 43,906 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 2,025 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,894,655 | 100 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,795,796 | 49.9 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### September: Protection of tenants

| Choice | Popular initiative | Popular initiative | Popular initiative | Popular initiative | Popular initiative | Counterproposal | Counterproposal | Counterproposal | Counterproposal | Counterproposal |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 796,825 | 42.2 | 3 | 1 | 3.5 | 777,604 | 41.2 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Against | 1,043,798 | 55.3 | 16 | 5 | 18.5 | 944,806 | 50.1 | 18 | 4 | 20 |
| No answer | 45,811 | 2.4 | – | – | – | 164,024 | 8.7 | – | – | – |
| Blank votes | 58,757 | – | – | – | – | 58,757 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 20,990 | – | – | – | – | 20,990 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,966,181 | 100 | 19 | 6 | 22 | 1,966,181 | 100 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,811,426 | 51.6 | – | – | – | 3,811,426 | 51.6 | – | – | – |
| Source: Direct Democracy |||||||||||

### September: Air pollution

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 740,842 | 39.0 | 1 | 1 | 1.5 |
| Against | 1,157,368 | 61.0 | 18 | 5 | 20.5 |
| Blank votes | 68,519 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 2,772 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,969,501 | 100 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,811,426 | 51.7 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### September: Increasing the number of signatures required for optional referendums

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 1,095,631 | 57.8 | 15 | 6 | 18 |
| Against | 798,416 | 42.2 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Blank votes | 69,730 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 3,328 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,967,555 | 100 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,811,426 | 51.6 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### September: Increasing the number of signatures required for popular initiatives

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 1,068,157 | 56.7 | 16 | 6 | 19 |
| Against | 815,488 | 43.3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Blank votes | 81,379 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 2,999 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,968,023 | 100 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,811,426 | 51.6 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### September: Abortion

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 929,325 | 48.3 | 6 | 2 | 7 |
| Against | 994,930 | 51.7 | 13 | 4 | 15 |
| Blank votes | 51,680 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 3,228 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,979,163 | 100 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,811,426 | 51.9 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### December: Wealth tax

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 637,994 | 44.4 | 2 | 1 | 2.5 |
| Against | 800,138 | 55.6 | 17 | 5 | 19.5 |
| Blank votes | 22,090 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 1,264 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,461,486 | 100 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,816,824 | 38.3 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### December: Political rights

| Choice | Votes | % |
| - | - | - |
| For | 809,862 | 59.4 |
| Against | 552,962 | 40.6 |
| Blank votes | 90,008 | – |
| Invalid votes | 1,688 | – |
| Total | 1,454,520 | 100 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,816,824 | 38.1 |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver |||

### December: Civilian service

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 533,733 | 37.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Against | 885,868 | 62.4 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Blank votes | 40,069 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 1,503 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,461,173 | 100 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,816,824 | 38.3 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### December: Balancing the federal budget

| Choice | Votes | % |
| - | - | - |
| For | 869,266 | 62.4 |
| Against | 523,125 | 37.6 |
| Blank votes | 62,749 | – |
| Invalid votes | 1,526 | – |
| Total | 1,456,666 | 100 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,816,824 | 38.2 |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver |||
