Requirements for a referendum to pass

Constitution of Jamaica

(Adopted 1962, last amended 2011)

http://pdba.georgetown.edu/Constitutions/Jamaica/jam62.html

49.3.d.ii: subject to the provisions of subsection (6) of this section, theBill, not less than two nor more than six months after its passage through bothHouses, has been submitted to the electors qualified to vote for the election ofmembers of the House of Representatives and, on a vote taken in such manner asParliament may prescribe, themajority of the electors voting have approved the Bill.

49.5: If a Bill for an Act of Parliament which alters any of theprovisions specified in subsection (2) of this section is passed by the Houseof Representatives –

a. twice in the same session in the manner prescribed bysubsection (2) and paragraph (a) of subsection (4) of this section and havingbeen sent to the Senate on the first occasion at least seven months before theend of the session and on the second occasion at least one month before the endof the session, is rejected the Senate on each occasion, or

b. in two successive sessions (whether of the same Parliament or not) in the mannerprescribed by subsection (2) and paragraph (a) of subsection (4) of thissection and, having been sent to the Senate in each of those sessions at leastone month before the end of the session, the second occasion being at least sixmonths after the first occasion, is rejected by the Senate in each of thosesessions,

that Bill may, not less than two nor more than six months afterits rejection by the Senate for the second time, be submitted to the electorsqualified to vote for the election of members of the House of Representativesand, if on a vote taken insuch manner as Parliament may prescribe, three-fifths of the electors votingapprove the Bill, the Bill may be presented to the Governor-General for assent.

49.6: If a Bill for an Act of Parliament which alters any of theprovisions specified in subsection (3) of this section is passed by the Houseof Representatives –

a. twice in the same session in the manner prescribed bysubsection (3) and paragraph (a) of subsection (4) of this section and havingbeen sent to the Senate on the first occasion at least seven months before theend of the session and on the second occasion at least one month before the endof the session, is rejected by the Senate on each occasion, or

b. in two successive sessions (whether of the same Parliament ornot) in the manner prescribed by subsection (3) and paragraph (a) of subsection(4) of this section and, having been vent to the Senate in each of thosesessions at least one month before the end of the session, the second occasionbeing at least six months after the first occasion, is rejected by the Senatein each of those sessions,

that Bill may, not less than two nor more than six months afterits rejection by the Senate for the second time, be submitted to the electorsqualified to vote for the election of members of the House of Representativesand, if on a vote taken insuch manner as Parliament may prescribe, two-thirds of the electors votingapprove the Bill, the Bill may be presented to the Governor-General for assent.

The threshold depends on which constitutional provision theproposal seeks to amend.

If a referendum is held:

- After a bill that amends the sectionsspecified in 49.3 passes both Houses, over 50% approval is required for theproposal to pass.

- After a bill that amends thesections specified in 49.2 passes the House but not the Senate, at least 60% ofvoters must approve the proposal.

- After a bill that amends thesections specified in 49.3 passes the House but not the Senate, at least two-thirds(66.67%) of voters must approve the proposal.