Although opinion among the United Kingdom government, the South African government and the British South Africa Company favoured the union option (and none tried to interfere in the referendum), when the referendum was held the results saw 59.4% in favour of responsible government for a separate colony and 40.6% in favour of joining the Union of South Africa.
Selv om regeringen i Storbritannien, den sydafrikanske regering og BSAC foretrak alternativet med union (og nogen forsøgte at blande sig ind i folkeafstemningen), viste afstemningen, at 59,4% foretrak en ansvarlig regering frem for en separat koloni, mens 40,6% ville slutte sig til unionen.