Explainer: How many votes Armenia needs to adopt a new constitution

By Gevorg Tosunyan

A new constitution put to a referendum in Armenia will pass only if at least one in four eligible voters backs it. That sets the minimum at 622,258 yes votes, but the actual number needed could be higher depending on turnout.

Under Article 207 of the current constitution, a measure put to a referendum is adopted if more than half of participants vote in favor. The yes votes must also equal at least a quarter of all citizens eligible to take part.

Armenia had 2,489,031 eligible voters, according to data published ahead of the 2026 parliamentary elections. A quarter of that figure is 622,257.75, which puts the minimum threshold at 622,258 votes.

Both conditions must be met at the same time. The 622,258 figure is the constitutional floor, but it is not always enough.

If turnout stays at or below roughly half of the electorate, about 1.24 mn voters, the one-quarter rule is the binding threshold. If turnout is higher, the draft will need more than half of all votes cast, a number that rises above 622,258.

However, it should be noted that immediately after the 2026 parliamentary elections, Civil Contract amended the Electoral Code and the Constitutional Law on Referendum. Under the new provision, a citizen will be eligible to participate in the elections if they have spent at least 366 days in Armenia during the preceding 730 days.

Furthermore, before the elections, it will be verified whether the individual met this residency requirement as of the 48th day preceding election day. Therefore, the aforementioned number of eligible voters may change depending on the outcome of this calculation.

The text of the new constitution is expected to be published in November. If the ruling Civil Contract party secures the required number of seats in parliament and a referendum is called, the draft will be adopted under the procedure set by the current constitution.

In the 2026 parliamentary elections, Civil Contract received 726,819 votes. Turnout in a referendum, however, may differ from that of a parliamentary vote.