A referendum on the islands' status was held in the

Northern Mariana Islands The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI; ch, Sankattan Siha Na Islas Mariånas; cal, Commonwealth Téél Falúw kka Efáng llól Marianas), is an unincorporated territory and commonw ...

on 9 November 1969.Northern Mariana Islands, 9 November 1969: Status
Direct Democracy For the fourth time since 1958 a majority of voters supported integration with

Guam Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic cent ...

. However, a

referendum A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a ...

held in Guam on 4 November on integration with the Northern Mariana Islands had been rejected by 58% of Guamanian voters.Guam (USA), 4 November 1969: Union with the North Marianas
Direct Democracy

Background

Previous referendums on either integration with Guam or the islands' status had been held in

1958 Events January * January 1 – The European Economic Community (EEC) comes into being. * January 3 – The West Indies Federation is formed. * January 4 ** Edmund Hillary's Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition completes the third ...

1961 Events January * January 3 ** United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower announces that the United States has severed diplomatic and consular relations with Cuba (Cuba–United States relations are restored in 2015). ** Aero Flight 311 (K ...

and

1963 Events January * January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Co ...

. On each occasion a majority had been in favor of integration. However, the proposal remained unfulfilled. The 1969 referendum was organized by the local Parliament, and was held prior to a visit by a

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoniz ...

commission in early 1970.

Results

Voters were given five options: #Do you want to become U.S. Citizen within the political framework of the Territory of Guam? #Do you want independence? #Do you want to become an unincorporated Territory of the United States? #Do want to free associate with the United States? #What other form of government do you want?

References

{{Northern Mariana Islands elections Northern Mariana 1969 in the Northern Mariana Islands

1969 This year is notable for Apollo 11's first landing on the moon. Events January * January 4 – The Government of Spain hands over Ifni to Morocco. * January 5 **Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 701 crashes into a house on its approach to ...

Northern Marianas The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI; ch, Sankattan Siha Na Islas Mariånas; cal, Commonwealth Téél Falúw kka Efáng llól Marianas), is an unincorporated territories of the Unit ...