Official result of the EU Referendum is declared by Electoral Commission in Manchester
Comments from the Chief Counting Officer
The Chief Counting Officer for the EU referendum, Jenny Watson who is also the Chair of the Electoral Commission has declared the official result of the referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union.
The total number of ballot papers counted was 33,577,342
The declaration has confirmed that 48.1% of votes (16,141,241) were cast in favour of REMAIN and 51.9% of votes (17,410,742) were cast in favour of LEAVE.
This means that the UK has voted to LEAVE the European Union.
The national turnout figure, announced earlier in the night, was 72.2%
The number of ballot papers rejected totalled 25,359.
Jenny Watson, Chief Counting Officer and Chair of the Electoral Commission, said:
I would like to thank everyone involved in the planning, preparation and running of this referendum. I’d like to thank all of the 382 Counting Officers, the Regional Counting Officers, Electoral Registration Officers and all of the thousands of election staff across the UK and Gibraltar who have worked tirelessly over the last few months to deliver a referendum that voters can be confident in.
Ends
For further information contact Electoral Commission press office:
- 020 7271 0704 (Out of office hours: 07789 920 414)
- press@electoralcommission.org.uk
Extra notes
Notes to editors
- The Electoral Commission is an independent body set up by the UK Parliament. Our aim is integrity and public confidence in the UK’s democratic process. We regulate party and election finance and set standards for well-run elections and are responsible for the conduct and regulation of referendum held under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act (2000).
- The national result, regional totals and totals for each of the 382 voting areas will shortly be available……
- Of the 25,359 rejected ballot papers:
- 232 were rejected for no official mark.
- 9,084 were rejected as both answers were voted for
- 836 were rejected because of a writing or mark by which the voter could be identified
- 15,207 were rejected because they were unmarked or void for uncertainty