# 1979 Swiss referendums

Six referendums were held in Switzerland in 1979. The first four were held on 18 February on reducing the voting age to 18 (rejected), a popular initiative "for the promotion of footpaths and hiking trails" (approved), "against advertising for addictive drugs" (rejected) and "for ensuring people's rights and the security of nuclear power installations" (rejected).
The last two were held on 20 May on reforms to sales and direct federal taxation (rejected) and a federal resolution on the nuclear power law (approved).

## Results
### February: Reducing the voting age to 18

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 934,073 | 49.2 | 8 | 2 | 9 |
| Against | 964,749 | 50.8 | 12 | 4 | 14 |
| Blank votes | 17,641 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 1,259 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,917,722 | 100 | 20 | 6 | 23 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,867,603 | 49.6 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### February: Popular initiative on footpaths and hiking trails

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 1,467,357 | 77.6 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Against | 424,058 | 22.4 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Blank votes | 23,651 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 1,463 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,916,529 | 100 | 20 | 6 | 23 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,867,603 | 49.6 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### February: Popular initiative against advertising addictive drugs

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 773,485 | 41.0 | 0 | 1 | 0.5 |
| Against | 1,115,116 | 59.0 | 20 | 5 | 22.5 |
| Blank votes | 26,247 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 1,697 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,916,545 | 100 | 20 | 6 | 23 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,867,603 | 49.6 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### February: Popular initiative on people's rights and nuclear power installations

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 920,480 | 48.8 | 8 | 2 | 9 |
| Against | 965,927 | 51.2 | 12 | 4 | 14 |
| Blank votes | 29,400 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 1,755 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,917,562 | 100 | 20 | 6 | 23 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,867,603 | 49.6 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### May: Changes to sales and direct federal taxation

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 496,882 | 34.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Against | 939,533 | 65.4 | 20 | 6 | 23 |
| Blank votes | 21,817 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 1,690 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,459,922 | 100 | 20 | 6 | 23 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,876,719 | 37.7 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### May: Nuclear power law

| Choice | Votes | % |
| For | 982,634 | 68.9 |
| Against | 444,422 | 31.1 |
| Blank votes | 30,169 | – |
| Invalid votes | 1,930 | – |
| Total | 1,459,155 | 100 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,876,719 | 37.6 |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver |||