Referendum on Fourth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 1968 (The voting system)

Polling at the referendum took place on Wednesday, 16 October 1968. A referendum on the formation of Dáil constituencies took place on the same day. The subject matter of the referendum was described as follows in the official polling card sent to each elector: “GREEN BALLOT PAPER THE FOURTH AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION BILL, 1968, proposes - (1) To substitute for the present system of voting at Dáil elections the "straight vote" system in single-member constituencies; (2) To establish a Commission to determine constituencies, subject to the right of the Dáil to amend the constituencies as so determined; and (3) To provide that whenever the Dáil is dissolved the outgoing Ceann Comhairle may be returned, without a contest, as a second deputy for a constituency chosen by him which consists of, or includes a part of, the constituency he represented before the dissolution."