# 1978 Swiss referendums

Fourteen referendums were held in Switzerland in 1978. The first four were held on 26 February on a popular initiative "for more co-decisions of the Federal Assembly and the People on national road making" (rejected), an amendment to the federal law on aged and bereaved insurance (approved), a popular initiative to lower the retirement age (rejected) and amending the article on the economic cycle in the Swiss Federal Constitution (approved). The next five referendums were held on 28 May on a law on time (rejected), an amendment to the tariff law (approved), a new federal law banning abortion (rejected), a federal law on promoting research and universities (rejected) and a popular initiative "for 12 Sundays a year free from motor vehicles" (rejected).
A tenth referendum was held on 24 September on creating a new canton named Jura, which was approved. The final set of referendums were held on 3 December on a resolution on dairy farming (approved), an animal protection law (approved), a federal law on security (rejected) and a federal law on vocational education (approved).

## Results
### February: Popular initiative on road making

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 696,501 | 38.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Against | 1,104,292 | 61.3 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Blank votes | 41,857 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 2,107 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,842,057 | 100 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,821,750 | 48.2 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### February: Amendment to the federal law on aged and bereaved insurance

| Choice | Votes | % |
| For | 1,192,144 | 65.6 |
| Against | 625,566 | 34.4 |
| Blank votes | 26,482 | – |
| Invalid votes | 1,947 | – |
| Total | 1,846,139 | 100 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,821,750 | 48.3 |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver |||

### February: Lowering the retirement age

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 377,017 | 20.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Against | 1,451,220 | 79.4 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Blank votes | 17,191 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 1,811 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,847,239 | 100 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,821,750 | 48.3 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### February: Constitutional amendment on the economic cycle

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 1,172,130 | 68.4 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Against | 542,634 | 31.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Blank votes | 116,578 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 3,025 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,834,367 | 100 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,821,750 | 48.0 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### May: Law on time

| Choice | Votes | % |
| For | 886,376 | 47.9 |
| Against | 963,862 | 52.1 |
| Blank votes | 28,392 | – |
| Invalid votes | 1,324 | – |
| Total | 1,879,954 | 100 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,835,650 | 49.0 |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver |||

### May: Amendment to the tariff law

| Choice | Votes | % |
| For | 971,908 | 54.8 |
| Against | 801,167 | 45.2 |
| Blank votes | 92,832 | – |
| Invalid votes | 2,084 | – |
| Total | 1,867,991 | 100 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,835,650 | 48.7 |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver |||

### May: Federal law banning abortion

| Choice | Votes | % |
| For | 559,103 | 31.2 |
| Against | 1,233,149 | 68.8 |
| Blank votes | 79,717 | – |
| Invalid votes | 2,543 | – |
| Total | 1,874,512 | 100 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,835,650 | 48.9 |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver |||

### May: Federal law promoting research and universities

| Choice | Votes | % |
| For | 792,458 | 43.3 |
| Against | 1,037,020 | 56.7 |
| Blank votes | 44,837 | – |
| Invalid votes | 1,566 | – |
| Total | 1,875,881 | 100 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,835,650 | 48.9 |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver |||

### May: Popular initiative on 12 car-free Sundays a year

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 678,162 | 36.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Against | 1,191,204 | 63.7 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Blank votes | 13,624 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 1,367 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,884,357 | 100 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,835,650 | 49.1 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### September: Creation of Jura canton

| Choice | Popular vote | Popular vote | Cantons | Cantons | Cantons |
| Choice | Votes | % | Full | Half | Total |
| For | 1,309,841 | 82.3 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Against | 281,873 | 17.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Blank votes | 24,377 | – | – | – | – |
| Invalid votes | 2,372 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,618,463 | 100 | 19 | 6 | 22 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,848,961 | 42.0 | – | – | – |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

### December: Dairy farming

| Choice | Votes | % |
| For | 1,092,586 | 68.5 |
| Against | 502,405 | 31.5 |
| Blank votes | 66,812 | – |
| Invalid votes | 2,601 | – |
| Total | 1,664,404 | 100 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,857,162 | 43.2 |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver |||

### December: Animal protection law

| Choice | Votes | % |
| For | 1,339,252 | 81.7 |
| Against | 300,045 | 18.3 |
| Blank votes | 27,717 | – |
| Invalid votes | 1,902 | – |
| Total | 1,668,916 | 100 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,857,162 | 43.3 |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver |||

### December: Federal law on security

| Choice | Votes | % |
| For | 723,719 | 44.0 |
| Against | 920,312 | 56.0 |
| Blank votes | 23,294 | – |
| Invalid votes | 1,914 | – |
| Total | 1,669,239 | 100 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,857,162 | 43.3 |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver |||

### December: Federal law on vocational education and training

| Choice | Votes | % |
| For | 902,379 | 56.0 |
| Against | 707,746 | 44.0 |
| Blank votes | 52,261 | – |
| Invalid votes | 2,360 | – |
| Total | 1,664,912 | 100 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,857,162 | 43.2 |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver |||