1955 Swedish driving side referendum

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

'No' vote campaign poster. Translated it reads: "Keep left-hand traffic. Vote NO on 16/10."

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

Summary of
the referendum
Votes Percent
Yes 400,061 15.5
No 2,139,996 82.9
Blank votes 41,630 1.6
Total 2,581,687 100
Invalid votes 6,043
Eligible voters 4,866,100
Turnout 2,587,730 53.2

Source: Nationalencyklopedin[4]
See also: Swedish Election Authority[5]

See also

References

  1. "Folkomröstningar 1922-2003" (in Swedish). Statistics Sweden. 21 December 2007. Archived from the original on 22 May 2011. 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 22 May 2011. Retrieved 22 May 2011.
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