1934 Southern Rhodesian sweepstakes referendum

May 2013 January 2024 1922 1922 Southern Rhodesian government referendum 1953 1953 Southern Rhodesian federation referendum Southern Rhodesia 28 February 1934 180px Are you in favour of sweepstakes under strict legislative control being permitted to operate in Southern Rhodesia? For 82.46 Against 17.54 "If sweepstakes be legalised, are you in favour of(a) Management by the Government direct?or(b) Management by a special authority under Government licence? Government 70.11 Special authority 28.89 In February 1934, the voters of Southern Rhodesia voted in a referendum to permit the running of sweepstakes gambling "under strict legislative control", managed by the government of the colony. Background The Lotteries Prohibition Act 1891 made lotteries illegal in Southern Rhodesia, but it became increasingly common for Rhodesians to participate in sweepstakes conducted outside the colony and it was felt among the political class that a measure of reform on the issue was overdue. The case for legalising sweepstakes had been raised in the Southern Rhodesia Assembly from 1928, and in the general election of 1933 the Reform Party stated in its manifesto that it would submit the issue to a referendum should it be elected. Arrangements No specific act was passed to authorise the referendum; instead the Government Statistician was instructed to conduct the ballot, which was conducted entirely through postal voting with no polling stations being open. All those registered to vote were sent a ballot paper at the beginning of February, with a calendar month to respond (the ballot closed on 28 February). There were two separate issues on the ballot paper, which read: 1. Are you in favour of sweepstakes under strict legislative control being permitted to operate in Southern Rhodesia? 2. If sweepstakes be legalised, are you in favour of – (a) Management by the Government direct? or (b) Management by a special authority under Government licence? Results There were 28,216 ballot papers dispatched, of which 20,550 were returned, making a turnout of 72.8%. The majority in favour of legalising sweepstakes was an overwhelming one of more than four to one. The voters then approved management by the Government direct, by a slightly more than two-thirds majority, although the Statistician discounted some 1,036 votes on the second question who had given contradictory answers "which made it impossible to determine what their views on management were". 203 ballot papers were blank on the second question. Following the result of the referendum, the House of Assembly passed the State Lotteries Act on 14 May 1935 which legalised sweepstakes under Government control. First questionVotes%In favour of sweepstakes16,94682.5Against sweepstakes3,60417.5Second questionVotes%In favour of management by Government13,53970.1In favour of management by special authority5,77229.9 Question 1 Electoral districtPapers dispatchedValid votesTurnout %In favour%Against%Bulawayo Central2,0581,37066.61,19887.417212.6Bulawayo North2,0271,44571.31,06673.837926.2Bulawayo South1,34385063.372385.112714.9Charter68747569.138280.49319.6Eastern94169874.254177.515722.5Gatooma85166578.158187.48412.6Gwanda85166572.846487.96412.1Gwelo1,06877672.767486.910213.1Hartley63352582.942981.79618.3Insiza72255076.248287.66812.4Inyati79156671.648385.38314.7Lomagundi84066579.250475.816124.2Marandellas82564077.651780.812319.2Matopo95272676.361785.010915.0Mazoe90170378.058182.612217.4Que Que82963676.758391.7538.3Raylton1,25984967.475789.29210.8Salisbury Central2,2901,60169.91,35984.924215.1Salisbury District99678178.458474.819725.2Salisbury North2,0431,50173.51,02768.447431.6Salisbury South1,25884367.074288.010112.0Selukwe83568181.659887.88312.2Umtali North90867274.052177.515122.5Umtali South80258072.352390.2579.8Victoria1,02471569.853775.117824.9Wankie70850971.947392.9367.1 Question 2 Electoral districtContradictory votesBlank votesGovernment management%Special authority%Bulawayo Central49778259.553240.5Bulawayo North50993367.345332.7Bulawayo South20550260.832339.2Charter471335786.05814.0Eastern621847777.214122.8Gatooma29447875.615424.4Gwanda18737775.012625.0Gwelo50255476.517023.5Hartley29737777.111222.9Insiza30841480.99819.1Inyati26436968.816731.2Lomagundi41842368.719331.3Marandellas401145777.613222.4Matopo32939858.128741.9Mazoe321248573.617426.4Que Que39139466.120233.9Raylton37349160.731839.3Salisbury Central531497863.855636.2Salisbury District50954375.217924.8Salisbury North72101,02272.039728.0Salisbury South37853967.525932.5Selukwe36451480.212719.8Umtali North40944371.118028.9Umtali South24441374.813925.2Victoria671449578.113921.9Wankie26332467.515632.5 References Source Book of Parliamentary Elections and Referenda in Southern Rhodesia 1898–1962 ed. by F.M.G. Willson (Department of Government, University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Salisbury 1963) Southern Rhodesia Sweepstakes Category:Referendums in Zimbabwe