Since 1925, Chile has conducted eight national referendums. The first modern referendum in 1925 led to the adoption of a new constitution. Over the years, referendums have covered topics such as the legitimacy of General Augusto Pinochet's rule and the adoption of new constitutions in 1980, 2022, and 2023. The current constitution, enacted in 1980, stipulates that binding referendums are required only in specific circumstances, such as when a constitutional reform is fully vetoed by the President and then re-approved by Congress. To date, this presidential power has not been used.
| Year | Referendum | Turnout | Yes | No | Neither | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1812 | Adoption of a provisional political constitution | Approve | ||||||
| 1817 | Independence proposal | Approve | ||||||
| 1818 | Adoption of a provisional political constitution | Approve | ||||||
| 1925 | Adoption of a new political constitution | 45.4% | 94.8% | 4.1% | 1.2% | Approve | ||
| Year | Referendum | Turnout | Yes | No | Null | Blank | Result | |
| 1978 | Legitimacy of Gen. Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship | a | 78.6% | 21.4% | 4.6% | Approve | ||
| 1980 | Adoption of a new political constitution | a | 69.0% | 31.0% | 2.8% | 1.3% | Approve | |
| 1988 | Continuance of Pinochet's rule | 97.5% | 44.0% | 56.0% | 1.3% | 1.0% | Reject | |
| 1989 | Constitutional reforms | 93.7% | 91.3% | 8.7% | 4.6% | 1.5% | Approve | |
| 2020 | On whether a new constitution should be drafted | 51.0% | 78.3% | 21.7% | 0.4% | 0.2% | Approve | |
| Year | Referendum | Turnout | Null | Blank | Result | |||
| 2020 | On what kind of body should write the new constitution | 51.0% | 21.0% | 79.0% | 3.4% | 1.6% | Constitutional Convention | |
| Year | Referendum | Turnout | Yes | No | Null | Blank | Result | |
| 2022 | Adoption of a proposed constitution | 85.8% | 38.1% | 61.9% | 1.5% | 0.6% | Reject | |
| 2023 | Adoption of a proposed constitution | 84.5% | 44.2% | 55.8% | 3.7% | 1.3% | Reject | |
The current 1980 constitution provides for binding referendums only in the case that a constitutional reform passed by Congress is completely vetoed by the President and then re-approved by Congress by a two-thirds majority of each chamber. In such occurrence the President has the authority to either sign the reform into law or call for a referendum. To date, the President has not exercised such power.