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Let me introduce you to the most confusing referendum result. It occurred in Saskatoon in 1988, held at the same time as the municipal election.
It was about store openings, and there were five questions posed to voters.
The first was straightforward enough:
"Are you in favor of all stores being allowed to be open on Sunday? "
YES 22,497
NO 35,319
Simple enough -- no to Sunday shopping.
The first was straightforward enough:
"Are you in favor of all stores being allowed to be open on Sunday? "
YES 22,497
NO 35,319
Simple enough -- no to Sunday shopping.
Question 2 is OK by itself.
"Are you in favor of grocery stores being open on Sunday?"
YES 28,461
NO 27,485
No general Sunday shopping, but grocery stores are OK.
"Are you in favor of grocery stores being open on Sunday?"
YES 28,461
NO 27,485
No general Sunday shopping, but grocery stores are OK.
The word 'only' complicates question 3.
"Are you in favor of only drug stores and confectionary stores being open on Sunday?"
YES 30,444
NO 24,434
Now people have voted against Sunday shopping, allowing grocery stores but also *only* drug stores and confectionary stores.
"Are you in favor of only drug stores and confectionary stores being open on Sunday?"
YES 30,444
NO 24,434
Now people have voted against Sunday shopping, allowing grocery stores but also *only* drug stores and confectionary stores.
Question 4 is also OK by itself.
"Are you in favor of city council regulating store hours to close all stores between 1:00 am and 5:00 am?"
YES 32,768
NO 20,223
So no late night shopping.
"Are you in favor of city council regulating store hours to close all stores between 1:00 am and 5:00 am?"
YES 32,768
NO 20,223
So no late night shopping.
Question 5 is weird with Question 4.
"Are you in favor of all stores being allowed to set their own hours Monday to Saturday?"
YES 30,363
NO 24,384
Now a majority want stores to be able to set their own hours, but not from 1am to 5am.
"Are you in favor of all stores being allowed to set their own hours Monday to Saturday?"
YES 30,363
NO 24,384
Now a majority want stores to be able to set their own hours, but not from 1am to 5am.
To summarize:
A majority wanted no Sunday shopping, and for grocery stores to be open on Sundays, but also *only* drug stores and confectionary stores to be open, and a majority also wanted stores to not be allowed to open from 1-5 am, but also be able to set their own hours.
A majority wanted no Sunday shopping, and for grocery stores to be open on Sundays, but also *only* drug stores and confectionary stores to be open, and a majority also wanted stores to not be allowed to open from 1-5 am, but also be able to set their own hours.
The result of all this? 
More aftermath:
Good history of referendums in Saskatoon:
Additional fun fact: voters also supported a by-law declaring Saskatoon a nuclear weapons-free zone.
FOR 34,400
AGAINST 24,773
Not sure if it was supposed to apply on Sundays, or from 1-5am.
FOR 34,400
AGAINST 24,773
Not sure if it was supposed to apply on Sundays, or from 1-5am.
What a confusing election. Additional fun fact: there were 10 members of councils, and it was an at-large election (i.e. no wards, everybody just ran city-wide).
Voters had to choose between *70 candidates*. *70*. *7* *0*.
Voters had to choose between *70 candidates*. *70*. *7* *0*.
