1979 Iranian Islamic Republic referendum

A referendum on creating an Islamic Republic was held in Iran on 30 and 31 March 1979. Political parties such as the National Democratic Front and the Organization of Iranian People's Fedai Guerrillas boycotted the referendum.

Islamic Republic referendum

30—31 March 1979[1] / 10—11 Farvardin 1358 SH
In the Name of God Interim Government of the Islamic Revolution Ministry of Interior Referendum Election Ballot Change of previous regime into Islamic Republic the constitution of which to be approved by the nation.[2]
The two-parts ballot of referendum, with the green paper indicating "Yes" and red paper indicating "No"[2]
Results
Choice Votes % Yes 20,147,855 99.31% No 140,996 0.69% Total votes 20,288,851 100.00% Registered voters/turnout ~22,000,000[1] 89[3]%

The People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran, the Tudeh Party of Iran, the Freedom Movement of Iran, the National Front, and the Islamic People's Republican Party, also "objected to the imposition of Khomeini's choice".^[4] According to official results, it was approved by 98.2% of eligible citizens.^[3][5] However, votes were color-coded and voting booths were lacking, explaining the unusually high approval rate.^[6]

In order to include the Iranian youth who participated in the revolution, the voting age was lowered from 18 to 16.^[3]

Following this, the 1906 constitution was declared invalid and a new constitution for an Islamic state was created and ratified by another referendum in December 1979.

Party policies

Position	Organizations	Ref
Yes
	Islamic Republican Party	[4]
	National Front	[4][7]
	Freedom Movement	[4][7]
	Tudeh Party	[4][7]
	People's Mojahedin Organization	[4]
	Muslim People's Republic Party	[4]
	Toilers Party	[8]
	Iran Party	[citation needed]
	Pan-Iranist Party	[9]
	Nation Party	[9]
Boycott	National Democratic Front	[4]
	Organization of People's Fedai Guerrillas	[10]
	People's Fedai Guerrillas	[11]
	Peykar	[9]
	Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan	[12]
	Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan	[12]

Voting

Woman casting her vote

Voters were given a three-part ballot, two of which containing the following statement:

بسمه تعالی دولت موقّت انقلاب اسلامی وزارت کشور تعرفهٔ انتخابات رفراندم تغییر رژیم سابق به جمهوری اسلامی که قانون اساسی آن از تصویب ملّت خواهد گذشت.

In the Name of God Interim Government of the Islamic Revolution Ministry of Interior Referendum Election Ballot Change of previous regime into Islamic Republic the constitution of which to be approved by the nation.

The Interim Government of Iran invited a four-man delegation of international jurists from International Association of Democratic Lawyers to monitor the voting.^[13] According to The Washington Post, polling places lacked voting booths and the color-coded ballots could clearly be seen by observers, quoting head of the delegation "this is not the way we do things in the West, and it does not meet our criteria of democracy".^[14] Sadegh Zibakalam describes the referendum as "free and fair".^[15] Michael Axworthy states "there may have been some irregularities in the referendum, but most balanced observers then and since have accepted that whatever the conditions, a referendum at that time with that question would always have given a massive majority for the same result", that is the end of the monarchy.^[16]

A huge voter turnout was reported nationwide, except for Turkmen Sahra and Iranian Kurdistan, where the referendum was not held in full due to ongoing armed conflicts.^[17]

Results

Choice	Votes	%
For	20,147,855	99.3
Against	140,996	0.7
Valid Votes	20,288,851	100
Source: Nohlen et al[1]

Choice	Votes
Number of Eligible Voters	20,857,391
Number of Actual Voters	20,440,108
Voter Turnout	98%
Source: Iran Social Science Data Portal[18]

Results by province

Province	Votes		Proportion of votes
	Yes	No	Yes	No
East Azerbaijan province	2,001,628	5,354	99.73%	0.27%
West Azerbaijan province	640,323	5,547	99.14%	0.86%
Isfahan province	1,357,605	4,470	99.67%	0.33%
Ilam province	161,942	16	99.99%	0.01%
Bakhtaran Province	612,830	6,159	99.00%	1.00%
Bushehr province	200,023	333	99.83%	0.17%
Tehran province	3,462,449	72,980	97.94%	2.06%
Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province	210,936	885	99.58%	0.42%
Khorasan Province	1,983,458	6,712	99.66%	0.34%
Khuzestan province	1,248,591	8,557	99.32%	0.68%
Zanjan province	765,786	875	99.89%	0.11%
Semnan province	185,674	424	99.77%	0.23%
Sistan and Baluchestan province	314,319	1,052	99.67%	0.33%
Fars province	1,224,821	5,281	99.57%	0.43%
Kordestan Province	318,360	2,570	99.20%	0.80%
Kerman province	651,011	1,507	99.77%	0.23%
Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province	159,463	254	99.84%	0.16%
Gilan province	810,708	7,539	99.08%	0.92%
Lorestan province	643,216	821	99.87%	0.13%
Mazandaran province	1,205,501	3,871	99.68%	0.32%
Markazi province	771,189	1,052	99.86%	0.14%
Hormozgan province	252,791	3,842	98.50%	1.50%
Hamedan Province	744,636	1,023	99.86%	0.14%
Yazd province	241,024	187	99.92%	0.08%
Abroad	118,069	12,444	90.47%	9.53%
Total	20,286,353	153,755	99.25%	0.75%
Source: Ministry of Interior[permanent dead link]

See also

• Iranian Islamic Republic Day
• 1979 Iranian constitutional referendum