Referendum Watch
Votes on independence and self-determination around the world: the question, the rules and the official result.
Coming Up
Alberta
October 19, 2026. Alberta votes on its future in Canada.
The question: “Should Alberta remain a province of Canada, or should the Government of Alberta commence the legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a binding provincial referendum on whether or not Alberta should separate from Canada?”
The Record
| Vote | Date | Result | For | Against | Turnout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Caledoniafrom FrancePro-independence parties called for non-participation; percentages are computed from the control commission's proclaimed counts (184,364 registered, 80,881 voters, 2,747 Yes, 75,720 No).Source: Journal officiel, proclamation by the control commission | December 12, 2021 | Remain | 3.5% | 96.5% | 43.9% |
| New Caledoniafrom FranceSecond of three consultations under the Nouméa Accord; results proclaimed by the control commission on October 5, 2020; binding status was not verified from the official source.Source: Haut-commissariat de la République en Nouvelle-Calédonie (archived copy) | October 4, 2020 | Remain | 46.7% | 53.3% | 85.7% |
| Bougainvillefrom Papua New GuineaVoting ran November 23 to December 7, 2019; yes is Independence and no is Greater Autonomy, computed from official counts on valid ballots (the commission reported Independence as 97.71 percent of all ballots); the result was tabled in PNG's National Parliament on August 27, 2026, and no ratification vote had been reported as of October 13, 2026.Source: Bougainville Referendum Commission (archived site hosted by PNG National Research Institute) | November 23, 2019 | Independence | 98.3% | 1.7% | 87.4% |
| New Caledoniafrom FranceFirst of three consultations under the Nouméa Accord; results proclaimed by the control commission on November 5, 2018; binding status was not verified from the official source.Source: Haut-commissariat de la République en Nouvelle-Calédonie (archived copy) | November 4, 2018 | Remain | 43.3% | 56.7% | 81.0% |
| Cataloniafrom SpainFigures are the Catalan government's (Generalitat) count of verified, unseized ballots, with blank votes (2.0 percent) counted as valid; Spain's Constitutional Court suspended the vote and later annulled the referendum law, and the Spanish government did not recognize it.Source: Generalitat de Catalunya (Govern), Resultats definitius | October 1, 2017 | Not recognized | 90.2% | 7.8% | 43.0% |
| Iraqi Kurdistanfrom IraqFigures are the regional commission's preliminary results. Iraq's Federal Supreme Court ruled the vote unconstitutional on November 20, 2017, and independence was not implemented.Source: Kurdistan Independent High Elections and Referendum Commission (archived) | September 25, 2017 | Not recognized | 92.7% | 7.3% | 72.2% |
| Scotlandfrom United KingdomYes 1,617,989 and No 2,001,926 as declared by the Chief Counting Officer; binding status was not verified from the official source.Source: Electoral Management Board for Scotland | September 18, 2014 | Remain | 44.7% | 55.3% | 84.6% |
| Southern Sudanfrom SudanHeld under the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement; secession cleared both legal thresholds (a majority of valid votes and 60% turnout), and South Sudan became independent on July 9, 2011.Source: Southern Sudan Referendum Commission, Final Results Report (archived) | January 9, 2011 | Independence | 98.8% | 1.2% | 97.6% |
| Montenegrofrom Serbia and MontenegroThe referendum law required 50 percent turnout and 55 percent of valid votes for Yes; both were met, and parliament declared independence on June 3, 2006.Source: OSCE/ODIHR Final Report, citing the Republic Referendum Commission's official results | May 21, 2006 | Independence | 55.5% | 44.5% | 86.5% |
| East Timorfrom IndonesiaUN-run consultation: voters rejected autonomy within Indonesia, which under the May 5, 1999 agreement meant separation. The UN put turnout at some 98 percent. Militia violence followed the result.Source: United Nations, press release SG/SM/7119 | August 30, 1999 | Independence | 78.5% | 21.5% | Not published |
| Quebecfrom CanadaNo won by 54,288 votes out of 4,671,008 valid ballots; binding status was not verified from the official source.Source: Élections Québec | October 30, 1995 | Remain | 49.4% | 50.6% | 93.5% |
| Bermudafrom United KingdomUnder the 1995 act, Yes needed a majority of votes and the support of at least 40 percent of all registered electors, and independence would still not have been automatic; Yes fell well short.Source: Independence Referendum Act 1995 (Bermuda); UN document A/AC.109/2041 | August 16, 1995 | Remain | 25.9% | 74.1% | 58.8% |
| Eritreafrom EthiopiaVerified by a UN observer mission; figures are the referendum commission's provisional results as reported to the UN. Ethiopia's transitional government committed in advance to respect the result.Source: United Nations, Report of the Secretary-General A/48/283 | April 23, 1993 | Independence | 99.8% | 0.2% | 98.2% |
| Croatiafrom YugoslaviaShares of valid votes computed from the official counts; Croatia declared independence on June 25, 1991.Source: Croatian Parliament (Sabor) | May 19, 1991 | Independence | 95.7% | 4.3% | 83.6% |
| Latviafrom Soviet UnionHeld as a poll of all permanent residents; shares of valid votes computed from the official counts.Source: Central Election Commission of Latvia | March 3, 1991 | Independence | 74.9% | 25.1% | 87.6% |
| Lithuaniafrom Soviet UnionHeld as a general poll of residents; shares of valid votes computed from the official counts.Source: Central Electoral Commission of Lithuania | February 9, 1991 | Independence | 93.2% | 6.8% | 84.7% |
| Sloveniafrom YugoslaviaShares of valid votes computed from the official counts; Slovenia declared independence on June 25, 1991.Source: Government Communication Office of Slovenia | December 23, 1990 | Independence | 95.7% | 4.3% | 93.2% |
| Quebecfrom CanadaThe question asked for a mandate to negotiate sovereignty-association, not for independence itself; binding status was not verified from the official source.Source: Élections Québec | May 20, 1980 | Remain | 40.4% | 59.6% | 85.6% |
Figures are as published by the body that ran each vote. Updated October 13, 2026.