1979 Swiss referendums

Six referendums were held in Switzerland in 1979.^[1] The first four were held on 18 February on reducing the voting age to 18 (rejected), a popular initiative "for the promotion of footpaths and hiking trails" (approved), "against advertising for addictive drugs" (rejected) and "for ensuring people's rights and the security of nuclear power installations" (rejected).^[1]

The last two were held on 20 May on reforms to sales and direct federal taxation (rejected) and a federal resolution on the nuclear power law (approved).^[2]

Results

February: Reducing the voting age to 18

Choice	Popular vote		Cantons
	Votes	%	Full	Half	Total
For	934,073	49.2	8	2	9
Against	964,749	50.8	12	4	14
Blank votes	17,641	–	–	–	–
Invalid votes	1,259	–	–	–	–
Total	1,917,722	100	20	6	23
Registered voters/turnout	3,867,603	49.6	–	–	–
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

February: Popular initiative on footpaths and hiking trails

Choice	Popular vote		Cantons
	Votes	%	Full	Half	Total
For	1,467,357	77.6	19	6	22
Against	424,058	22.4	1	0	1
Blank votes	23,651	–	–	–	–
Invalid votes	1,463	–	–	–	–
Total	1,916,529	100	20	6	23
Registered voters/turnout	3,867,603	49.6	–	–	–
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

February: Popular initiative against advertising addictive drugs

Choice	Popular vote		Cantons
	Votes	%	Full	Half	Total
For	773,485	41.0	0	1	0.5
Against	1,115,116	59.0	20	5	22.5
Blank votes	26,247	–	–	–	–
Invalid votes	1,697	–	–	–	–
Total	1,916,545	100	20	6	23
Registered voters/turnout	3,867,603	49.6	–	–	–
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

February: Popular initiative on people's rights and nuclear power installations

Choice	Popular vote		Cantons
	Votes	%	Full	Half	Total
For	920,480	48.8	8	2	9
Against	965,927	51.2	12	4	14
Blank votes	29,400	–	–	–	–
Invalid votes	1,755	–	–	–	–
Total	1,917,562	100	20	6	23
Registered voters/turnout	3,867,603	49.6	–	–	–
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

May: Changes to sales and direct federal taxation

Choice	Popular vote		Cantons
	Votes	%	Full	Half	Total
For	496,882	34.6	0	0	0
Against	939,533	65.4	20	6	23
Blank votes	21,817	–	–	–	–
Invalid votes	1,690	–	–	–	–
Total	1,459,922	100	20	6	23
Registered voters/turnout	3,876,719	37.7	–	–	–
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

May: Nuclear power law

Choice	Votes	%
For	982,634	68.9
Against	444,422	31.1
Blank votes	30,169	–
Invalid votes	1,930	–
Total	1,459,155	100
Registered voters/turnout	3,876,719	37.6
Source: Nohlen & Stöver