The 2011 Pará state division

plebiscite A referendum, plebiscite, or ballot measure is a direct vote by the electorate (rather than their representatives) on a proposal, law, or political issue. A referendum may be either binding (resulting in the adoption of a new policy) or adv ...

was held on 11 December 2011, to decide whether the Brazilian state of Pará should be divided into three separate states:

Pará Pará () is a Federative units of Brazil, state of Brazil, located in northern Brazil and traversed by the lower Amazon River. It borders the Brazilian states of Amapá, Maranhão, Tocantins (state), Tocantins, Mato Grosso, Amazonas (Brazilian st ...

, Carajás, and

Tapajós The Tapajós ( ) is a river in Brazil. It runs through the Amazon Rainforest and is a major tributary of the Amazon River. When combined with the Juruena River, the Tapajós is approximately long. Prior to a drastic increase in illegal gold mi ...

. At the time, it was the largest regional plebiscite in Brazilian history.

Plebiscite development

Prior to the plebiscite, there was debate over whether the vote should be limited to the proposed regions of Carajás and Tapajós or include the entire state of Pará. This uncertainty stemmed from questions regarding the constitutionality of Law No. 9,709/1998, which mandates statewide participation in plebiscites concerning territorial divisions. On 24 August 2011, it was decided that the entire population of Pará would participate in the vote, requiring majority support statewide for the creation of the new states. In the calendar defined by the

Superior Electoral Court The Superior Electoral Court (, TSE) is the highest body of the Brazilian Election Justice, Brazilian Electoral Justice, which also comprises one Regional Electoral Court (Brazil), Regional Electoral Court (, TRE) in each of the 26 states and th ...

, 2 September was the limit date for members of the

Legislative Assembly of Pará The Legislative Assembly of the State of Pará () is the unicameral legislature of Pará state in Brazil. It has 41 state deputies elected by proportional representation. The first legislature began on March 13, 1885, in a palace where today i ...

, the

Chamber of Deputies The chamber of deputies is the lower house in many bicameral legislatures and the sole house in some unicameral legislatures. Description Historically, French Chamber of Deputies was the lower house of the French Parliament during the Bourb ...

and the

Federal Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. Senate or the Senate may also refer to: * Any one of the national senates in the world, including ** The Australian Senate ** The Brazilian Senate * ...

to manifest themselves to compose one of the fronts of the plebiscite (for or against the creation of the two states). The registration of the two fronts would be protocoled in the Regional Electoral Court of Pará until 12 September. The campaign for the creation of the two new states through the internet, flyers and sound cars began on 13 September. The first opinion polls could also be registered in the Electoral Court of Pará from this date. The free campaign on radio and TV began on 11 November. The period of campaigning would finish three days before the plebiscite. On 23 November, the electronic polls were sealed and on 10 December, the campaign through speakers and sound amplifiers was finished. The distribution of printed materials was also prohibited from this date. The definitive result of the plebiscite was published only two hours after the end of the voting. The voters who had the intention to participate in the plebiscite had to regulate their situation in the Electoral Justice of Pará until 11 September. In the polls, the residents of Pará answered to two questions: "Are you in favor of the division of the State of Pará for the creation of the State of Carajás?" and "Are you in favor of the division of the State of Pará for the creation of the State of Tapajós?" For the creation of the new states, Tapajós would occupy 58% of the current territory of Pará and would have 27 municipalities, while Carajás would have 25% of the territory with 39 municipalities. The remaining territory would retain the name Pará and would keep 17% of the territory. According to the Superior Electoral Court, the cost of the plebiscite surpassed R$19 million (about

US$ The United States dollar (Currency symbol, symbol: Dollar sign, $; ISO 4217, currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and International use of the U.S. dollar, several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introdu ...

in 2011).

Opinion polls

Results

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:2011 Para state division plebiscite Referendums in Brazil 2011 referendums 2011 in Brazil Proposed states and territories of Brazil October 2011 in South America