1918 Haitian constitutional referendum

1918 Haitian constitutional referendum

12 June 1918
Results
Choice Votes  % Yes 98,294 99.22% No 769 0.78%

A constitutional referendum was held in Haiti on 12 June 1918. ^[1] Voters were asked to approve or reject a new constitution, which was imposed by the United States government. ^[2] It was approved by 99% of voters, ^[3] although less than 5% of the population voted. ^[2]

Background

Haiti was occupied by the United States in 1915. Assistant Secretary of the United States Navy Franklin D. Roosevelt claimed to have drafted a new constitution, which introduced direct election of the Senate, freedom of assembly and the press, and trial by jury. ^[2] Controversially it initially included a right for non-citizens to own land, ^[2] and for the American military to intervene in domestic politics. ^[4]

The National Assembly elected in 1917 refused to adopt the draft constitution and drafted one itself, ^[2] which excluded the right of non-citizens to own land. ^[4] While the Assembly was debating its draft, Major Smedley Butler interrupted the session to announce that President Philippe Sudré Dartiguenave had dissolved the legislature, ^[2] after he forced Dartiguenave to sign a decree to that effect. ^[4] As there was no legislature in place to adopt the document, it was decided to hold a referendum. ^[2]

Campaign

The American military government issued orders to arrest anyone publicly opposing adoption of the constitution. ^[2]

Results

Choice		Votes	%
For		98,294	99.22
Against		769	0.78
Total		99,063	100.00
Source: Nohlen

References

1. Dieter Nohlen (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I, p381 ISBN   978-0-19-928357-6
2. George Athan Billias (2011) American Constitutionalism Heard Round the World, 1776–1989: A Global Perspective , pp242–244
3. Nohlen, p387
4. Michael Largey (2006) Vodou Nation: Haitian Art Music and Cultural Nationalism , p55