New Zealanders have voted resoundingly to legalise assisted suicide, although another proposal to legalise recreational cannabis appears to have been narrowly rejected.

The binding referendum returned 5 per cent of votes in favour of allowing euthanasia and per cent against after approximately 8 per cent of votes had been counted.

Asked whether marijuana should be legalised, 5 per cent voted against and per cent voted for.

The margin on the cannabis poll is small enough that the result could be swung by special votes – mostly from New Zealanders living abroad – according to the country’s Electoral Commission.

Almost half a million special votes remain to be counted next week, with the final results published on November .

Previous referendums have seen special votes tend towards the more politically liberal option, giving proponents some hope, but a large…