# 1985 Swiss referendums

Twelve referendums were held in Switzerland in 1985. The first four were held on 10 March on abolishing primary school fees (approved), abolishing the government contribution to healthcare spending (approved), a federal resolution on education fees (rejected) and a popular initiative on extending paid leave (rejected). The next set of four was held on 9 June on the "right to life" popular initiative (rejected), abolishing the cantonal share of profits from banks' stamp duty (approved), a federal resolution on the taxation raised from the sale of spirits (approved), and the abolition of grants for the self-supply of breadstuffs (approved).
A further three referendums were held on 22 September on a popular initiative to co-ordinate the start of the school year (approved), a federal resolution on giving small and medium enterprises an advantage in cases on innovations (rejected), and amendments to the Swiss Civil Code (approved). The final referendum was held on 1 December on a popular initiative to ban vivisection, which was rejected.

## Results
### March: Abolition of primary school fees

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 802,882 | 58.5 | 15 | 6 | 18 |
| Against | 570,221 | 41.5 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Blank votes | 46,403 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 1,932 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,421,438 | 100 | 20 | 6 | 23 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 4,134,052 | 34.4 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### March: Healthcare

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 726,781 | 53.0 | 10 | 6 | 13 |
| Against | 644,649 | 47.0 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Blank votes | 48,766 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 1,951 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,422,147 | 100 | 20 | 6 | 23 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 4,134,052 | 34.4 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### March: Education fees

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 651,854 | 47.6 | 7 | 3 | 8.5 |
| Against | 716,717 | 52.4 | 13 | 3 | 14.5 |
| Blank votes | 51,614 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 2,020 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,422,205 | 100 | 20 | 6 | 23 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 4,134,052 | 34.4 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### March: Extending paid leave

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 489,995 | 34.8 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Against | 918,685 | 65.2 | 18 | 6 | 21 |
| Blank votes | 19,961 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 1,729 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,430,370 | 100 | 20 | 6 | 23 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 4,134,052 | 34.6 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### June: Right to life

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 448,016 | 31.0 | 4 | 3 | 5.5 |
| Against | 999,077 | 69.0 | 16 | 3 | 17.5 |
| Blank votes | 31,856 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 1,523 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,480,472 | 100 | 20 | 6 | 23 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 4,144,312 | 35.7 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### June: Stamp duty for banks

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 903,345 | 66.5 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Against | 454,560 | 33.5 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Blank votes | 100,995 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 1,794 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,460,694 | 100 | 20 | 6 | 23 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 4,144,312 | 35.2 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### June: Tax on spirits

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 982,318 | 72.3 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Against | 376,135 | 27.7 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Blank votes | 100,479 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 1,839 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,460,771 | 100 | 20 | 6 | 23 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 4,144,312 | 35.2 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### June: Breadstuffs

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 787,156 | 57.0 | 16 | 5 | 18.5 |
| Against | 592,751 | 43.0 | 4 | 1 | 4.5 |
| Blank votes | 82,030 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 1,697 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,463,634 | 100 | 20 | 6 | 23 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 4,144,312 | 35.3 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### September: Co-ordinating the start of the School year

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 984,463 | 58.8 | 14 | 4 | 16 |
| Against | 688,459 | 41.2 | 6 | 2 | 7 |
| Blank votes | 30,555 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 2,223 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,705,700 | 100 | 20 | 6 | 23 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 4,160,547 | 41.0 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### September: Innovations

| Choice | Votes | % |
| For | 695,288 | 43.1 |
| Against | 917,507 | 56.9 |
| Blank votes | 84,782 | – |
| Invalid votes | 2,639 | – |
| Total | 1,700,216 | 100 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 4,160,547 | 40.9 |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver |||

### September: Changes to the Civil Code

| Choice | Votes | % |
| For | 921,743 | 54.7 |
| Against | 762,619 | 45.3 |
| Blank votes | 23,290 | – |
| Invalid votes | 2,223 | – |
| Total | 1,709,875 | 100 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 4,160,547 | 41.1 |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver |||

### December: Banning vivisection

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 459,358 | 29.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Against | 1,099,122 | 70.5 | 20 | 6 | 23 |
| Blank votes | 21,118 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 2,680 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,582,278 | 100 | 20 | 6 | 23 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 4,167,376 | 38.0 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||