Click for information on:
- Report on Wales referendum
- The referendum result
- About the referendum
- Campaigning, including decision on 'lead campaigners' designation
- Chief Counting Officer's instructions
- Our role in running referendums
Report on Wales referendum
We have published our report on how the 3 March Wales referendum was run and the results of public opinion research on what the experience of voters was.
Summary (PDF) | Full report (PDF) | Read our news release
Research findings
Electoral Commission data collection: turnout and administrative (Excel)The result of the referendum
In February 2010 the Welsh Assembly voted in favour of holding a referendum in Wales on the Assembly's law-making powers. The referendum took place on 3 March 2011, with the votes counted on 4 March 2011. The final national result has been declared.
About the referendum: information for voters and media
Information for voters
In order to vote you must be registered. To find out more on the referendum, and for details of how you can vote and to download a registration form, visit our voter website, About my vote.
Campaigners' information
As no lead 'Yes' or 'No' campaigners could be designated, we published statements received from registered referendum campaigners explaining their views on our About my vote website.
Information for media
Resources
We launched a range of materials to help encourage participation in the referendum. Resources included posters, press adverts, and an image gallery.
The referendum question and our assessment
Campaigning
Providing information to voters
Following our announcement not to designate ‘lead campaigners’, we decided on a way forward to help voters get information about the arguments for and against the referendum.
- View our decision here and campaigner statements on our About my vote website here
- View our Board paper - Wales referendum: voter information decision (PDF) (1 February 2011)
- View our Board paper - Wales referendum: voter information decision (PDF) (25 January 2011)
- View our Board minutes here (PDF)
No ‘lead campaigners’ for Wales referendum
We were unable to designate ‘lead campaigners’ for the referendum. Although the applicant to become the lead ‘Yes’ campaigner adequately represented those campaigning for that outcome, the applicant for the lead ‘No’ campaigner did not meet the statutory test.
We are required by law to designate lead campaigners for both sides of the debate, or not at all.
- For more information, view our news release
- View copies of the campaign applications (PDF)
- View our evaluation of those applications (PDF)
Guidance
Spending limits
We wrote to the Secretary of State for Wales to give our views on the referendum spending limits that should apply to campaigners in the National Assembly for Wales referendum.
- 22 July 2010: Letter on referendum spending limits (PDF)
- 30 March 2010: Letter on referendum spending limits (PDF)
- 30 March 2010: Technical note on calculating spending limits (PDF)
Monitoring
Monitoring compliance with the rules on referendum expenditure is part of our statutory remit. As part of our work for the referendum, we undertook a programme of campaign monitoring.
Counting the votes and the Chief Counting Officer's instructions
The Chief Counting Officer set out her decision on when the referendum votes should be counted, following responses received to our October consultation on the timing of the count.
- The Chief Counting Officer's decision on the timing of the count (PDF)
- Consultation paper on the Chief Counting Officer's proposal for the timing of the count (DOC)
She also issued instructions and resources to Counting Officers to ensure consistency of practice in delivering the referendum.
Applications to attend the count on 4 March 2011
The deadline to apply to observe proceedings at the Senedd for the collation of votes from across Wales and the declaration of a national result has now passed. We welcomed applications from all those who wished to attend.
