A referendum ratifying the new constitution of the Consulate, which made Napoleon Bonaparte First Consul for life, was held on 10 May 1802. The question asked to the voters was: "Should Napoleon Bonaparte be consul for life?".[1] Out of an electorate of 7 million, 3,653,600 voted in favor, and 8,374 voted against.
There was no secret ballot, with voters having to record their vote next to their name in registers of votes, thus forcing the opponents of Bonaparte to register themselves and to potentially face potential police harassment. Nevertheless, turnout increased by over 8 percentage points compared to the 1800 French constitutional referendum, with an additional 2.1 million voters voting yes at the ballot.[2] Given the turnout, the 1802 referendum is regarded as a success for the Napoleonic regime.[3]
| Vote | % of votes | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 99.77% | 3,653,600 | |
| No | 0.23% | 8,374 | |
| Total | 100% |
| No : 8,374 (0.23%) | Yes : 3,653,600 (99.77%) | |||
| ▲ | ||||