2006 Tokelauan self-determination referendum
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A self-determination referendum was held in Tokelau between 11 and 15 February 2006, supervised by the United Nations,[1] The proposal would have changed Tokelau's status from an unincorporated New Zealand territory to a self-governing state in free association with New Zealand, akin to the Cook Islands and Niue. However, although 60% of voters voted in favour, a two-thirds majority was required for the proposal to succeed.[2]
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11–15 February 2006
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Do you agree that Tokelau become a self-governing state in Free Association with New Zealand on the basis of the Constitution and as in the draft Treaty notified to Tokelau? | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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The majority of Tokelauans reside in New Zealand, and were ineligible to vote in the referendum, in line with standard practice in United Nations mandated votes on self-determination. However concerns among this community may have influenced those who were eligible to vote, thereby contributing to the referendum's failure.[3]
The passage of the referendum would have removed Tokelau from the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories, as the Cook Islands and Niue were removed from this list when they were granted self-governance in 1965 and 1974 respectively.
Voting schedule
Results
Do you agree that Tokelau become a self-governing state in Free Association with New Zealand on the basis of the Constitution and as in the draft Treaty notified to Tokelau?
| Choice | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| For | 349 | 60.07 | |
| Against | 232 | 39.93 | |
| Total | 581 | 100.00 | |
| Valid votes | 581 | 99.49 | |
| Invalid/blank votes | 3 | 0.51 | |
| Total votes | 584 | 100.00 | |
| Registered voters/turnout | 615 | 94.96 | |
Aftermath
Outgoing Tokelau Ulu (head of government) Pio Tuia suggested in February 2006 that since the vote failed to pass by such a small margin, the issue was likely to be revisited in a few years' time.[4] In June 2006, his successor Kolouei O'Brien announced that the Fono had agreed to hold a similar referendum again in late 2007 or early 2008;[5] in the end, it was decided to hold a second referendum on self-determination in October 2007.[6]
An unintended result of the United Nations' recent efforts to promote decolonization in Tokelau has been the re-emergence of a Tokelauan claim to Swains Island, which is legally part of American Samoa, hitherto a somewhat dormant issue.
