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1997 referendum

The Assembly was first elected in 1999, following a referendum in 1997.

The referendum of 1997 was a policy commitment of the UK Labour Party in the 1997 General Election and was held in the Labour Government’s first term after the Election. The referendum was held on 18 September 1997 and the people of Wales were asked whether they:

  • Option 1: Agree that there should be a Welsh Assembly; or
  • Option 2: Do not agree that there should be a Welsh Assembly.

The national voting results were:

  • Option 1 votes: 559,419 (50.3%)
  • Option 2 votes: 552,698 (49.7%)

Since 1997, new laws about referendums has been passed, notably the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 which set up the Electoral Commission and gave it a role in overseeing the conduct of referendums. The Electoral Commission oversaw the referendum in 2011.