AFRICAN ELECTIONS DATABASE

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Botswana Referendums
Election Results
 
 
26 October 1987 Referendum
04 October 1997 Referendum
03 November 2001 Referendum
 
 
26 October 1987 Referendum
Main Points: Creation of an Office of the Supervisor of Elections; The Government appoints the Election Supervisor.
Registered Voters      N/A
Total Votes            N/A
Voter Turnout          N/A
Invalid/Blank Votes    N/A
Total Valid Votes   57,908

Results

Number of Votes

% of Votes

"Yes" Votes

45,227

78.10%

"No" Votes

12,681

21.90%

 
04 October 1997 Referendum

I. Creation of an Independent Electoral Commission                                                                                               Main Points: Amending the constitution to replace the old Office of the Supervisor of Elections introduced in 1987, which was not independent with respect to the government with an independent electoral commission.                   Registered Voters   370,173                                                              Total Votes          61,873 [Voter Turnout: 16.7%]                                       Invalid/Blank Votes     201                                                             Total Valid Votes    61,672

Results

Number of Votes

% of Votes

"Yes" Votes

45,122

73.16%

"No" Votes

16,550

26.84%

II. Voting Rights for Citizens Abroad                                                                                                                        Main Points: Amending the constitution to extend voting rights to Batswana abroad.                            Registered Voters   370,173                                                             Total Votes          62,047 [Voter Turnout: 16.8%]                                      Invalid/Blank Votes     197                                                             Total Valid Votes    61,850

Results

Number of Votes

% of Votes

"Yes" Votes

43,555

70.42%

"No" Votes

18,295

29.58%

III. Lowering the Minimum Voting Age                                                                                                                    Main Points: Amending the constitution to lower the Minimum Voting Age from 21 to 18.                                                 Registered Voters   370,173                                                             Total Votes          61,948 [Voter Turnout: 16.7%]                                      Invalid/Blank Votes     198                                                             Total Valid Votes    61,750

Results

Number of Votes

% of Votes

"Yes" Votes

36,275

58.74%

"No" Votes

25,475

41.26%

 
03 November 2001 Referendum

I. Qualifications to be appointed as a Judge of the High Court                                                                                Ballot Question: Do you agree that, for a person to be appointed a Judge of the High Court, he must qualify and have been qualified to practice as an advocate or attorney for not less than 10 years, or being qualified to practice as an advocate or attorney, has taught law in a recognized university for not less than 10 years, or be a Chief Magistrate who has held that office for not less than 5 years?                                                                  Registered Voters   460,252                                                             Total Votes          22,597 [Voter Turnout: 4.9%]                                       Invalid/Blank Votes     985                                                             Total Valid Votes    21,612

Results

Number of Votes

% of Votes

"Yes" Votes

16,038

74.2%

"No" Votes

5,574

25.8%

II. Qualifications to be appointed as a Judge of the Court of Appeal                                                                       Ballot Question: Do you agree that, for a person to be appointed a Judge of the Court of Appeal, he must qualify and have been qualified to practice as an advocate or attorney for not less than 10 years, or being qualified to practice as an advocate or attorney, has taught law in a recognized university for not less than 10 years?                        Registered Voters   460,252                                                             Total Votes          22,576 [Voter Turnout: 4.9%]                                       Invalid/Blank Votes     988                                                             Total Valid Votes    21,588

Results

Number of Votes

% of Votes

"Yes" Votes

16,152

74.81%

"No" Votes

5,436

25.19%

III. Change in the designation of High Court Judges                                                                                                Ballot Question: "Do you agree that the designation of High Court Judges as "Puisne Judges" be altered to "Judges"?    Registered Voters   460,252                                                             Total Votes          22,579 [Voter Turnout: 4.9%]                                       Invalid/Blank Votes     995                                                             Total Valid Votes    21,584

Results

Number of Votes

% of Votes

"Yes" Votes

16,565

76.74%

"No" Votes

5,019

23.26%

IV. Retiring age of the Judges of the High Court and Court of Appeal                                                                     Ballot Question: Do you agree that the retiring age of the Judges of the High Court and Court of Appeal should be increased from 65 to 70?                                                                      Registered Voters   460,252                                                             Total Votes          22,577 [Voter Turnout: 4.9%]                                       Invalid/Blank Votes     789                                                             Total Valid Votes    21,788

Results

Number of Votes

% of Votes

"Yes" Votes

11,751

53.93%

"No" Votes

10,037

46.07%

V. Nomination of the members of the Judicial Service Commission                                                                        Ballot Question: Do you agree that the members of the Judicial Service Commission who are nominated by the Law Society or appointed by the President shall serve a renewable term of two years, and may be removed by the Commission in the first case and by the President in the second for inability or gross misbehavior?                           Registered Voters   460,252                                                             Total Votes          22,561 [Voter Turnout: 4.9%]                                       Invalid/Blank Votes     802                                                             Total Valid Votes    21,759

Results

Number of Votes

% of Votes

"Yes" Votes

15,765

72.45%

"No" Votes

5,994

27.55%

VI. Competencies of the Judicial Service Commission                                                                                         Ballot Question: Do you agree that the members of the Judicial Service Commission, who shall decide by a majority vote, the chairman having a casting vote in the event of an equality of votes, should be the Chief Justice as Chairman, the President or the most senior Justice of the Court of Appeal, the Attorney-General, the Chairman of the Public Service Commission, a member of the Law Society nominated by it, and a person of integrity and experience who is not a legal practitioner appointed by the President?                                                           Registered Voters   460,252                                                             Total Votes          22,573 [Voter Turnout: 4.9%]                                       Invalid/Blank Votes     789                                                             Total Valid Votes    21,784

Results

Number of Votes

% of Votes

"Yes" Votes

15,833

72.68%

"No" Votes

5,951

27.32%

VII. Re-qualification of the Industrial Court                                                                                                              Ballot Question: Do you agree that the Industrial Court should be a superior court of record?                      Registered Voters   460,252                                                             Total Votes          22,557 [Voter Turnout: 4.9%]                                       Invalid/Blank Votes     792                                                             Total Valid Votes    21,765

Results

Number of Votes

% of Votes

"Yes" Votes

16,216

74.50%

"No" Votes

5,549

25.50%

VIII. Competencies for the Chief Justice                                                                                                                  Ballot Question: Do you agree that the Chief Justice be empowered to appoint a Rules of Court Advisory Committee to advise him on the review of the rules of practice and procedure of the High Court?                                                           Registered Voters   460,252                                                             Total Votes          22,592 [Voter Turnout: 4.9%]                                       Invalid/Blank Votes   1,023                                                             Total Valid Votes    21,569

Results

Number of Votes

% of Votes

"Yes" Votes

16,584

76.88%

"No" Votes

4,985

23.12%