Iceland records highest referendum turnout since republic was founded
Sunday 30th August 2026 on 18:00 in
Iceland
Turnout in Saturday’s referendum reached 82.6 per cent, the highest recorded during Iceland’s republican era apart from the 1944 vote on establishing the republic, mbl.is reports.
The 1944 referendum drew just over 98 per cent participation. The next-highest turnout was recorded in the second Icesave referendum in 2011, when about 75 per cent of eligible voters cast ballots. Turnout in the 2012 referendum on a new constitution was 49 per cent.
A total of 272,591 people were registered to vote, and 225,031 cast ballots. There were 223,379 valid votes, 897 blank ballots and 755 invalid ballots.
The result was:
Yes: 105,339 votes, or 47.2 per cent
No: 118,040 votes, or 52.8 per cent
The National Electoral Commission will later announce a meeting to rule on disputed ballots and the result of the referendum. The commission said its ruling could affect the final number of valid votes.