1955 Swedish driving side referendum

1955 Swedish driving side referendum
16 October 1955 (1955-10-16)
Results
Choice
 Votes %
Change to driving on the right 400,061 15.50%
Keep driving on the left 2,139,996 82.89%
Blank votes 41,630 1.61%
Valid votes 2,581,687 99.77%
Invalid votes 6,043 0.23%
Total votes 2,587,730 100.00%
Registered voters/turnout 4,866,100 53.18%
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'No' vote campaign poster. Translated it reads: "Keep left-hand traffic. Vote NO on 16/10."

A non-binding referendum on the introduction of right hand traffic was held in Sweden on 16 October 1955.[1]

The voter turnout was 53.2%, and the suggestion failed by 15.5% against 82.9%.[1] However, eight years later, in 1963, the Riksdag approved the change, following pressure from the Council of Europe[2] and the Nordic Council.[3] Traffic in Sweden switched from driving on the left-hand side of the road to the right on 3 September 1967 (see Dagen H).

Result

ChoiceVotes%
For400,06115.50
Against2,139,99682.89
Blank41,6301.61
Total2,581,687100.00
Valid votes2,581,68799.77
Invalid votes6,0430.23
Total votes2,587,730100.00
Registered voters/turnout4,866,10053.18
Source: Nationalencyklopedin,[4] Election Authority[5]

References

  1. ^ a b "Folkomröstningar 1922-2003" (in Swedish). Statistics Sweden. 21 December 2007. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 22 May 2011.
  2. ^ The Rule of the Road: An International Guide to History and Practice, Peter Kincaid, Greenwood Press, 1986, page 160
  3. ^ The Nordic Council and Scandinavian Integration, Erik Solem, Praeger Publishers, 1977, page 99
  4. ^ "Folkomröstning: Tabell: Folkomröstningar i Sverige". Nationalencyklopedin (in Swedish). Retrieved 22 May 2011. (subscription required)
  5. ^ "Nationella folkomröstningar" (in Swedish). Swedish Election Authority. Archived from the original on 17 August 2010. Retrieved 22 May 2011.