New Zealand’s electoral commission announced Friday that voters had approved the End of Life Choice Act legalizing euthanasia in New Zealand in a referendum held October 17. Over a million people constituting 62.5% of the electorate voted in favor of legalization.

The End of Life Act, approved in the New Zealand parliament last year with the proviso that it be approved by 50% of voters in a referendum, allows people to chose to end their life if they have less than six months to live and have the approval of 2 doctors. The assisted death must be done by their attending medical practitioner who must remain available until the patient passes away. This means they should be either in the same room or nearby and available. The Act also outlines the discussion that must happen between the practitioner and the patient before assisted dying is chosen. This includes explaining the patients diagnosing and the irreversibility of euthanasia. Medical practitioners must also encourage the patient to think about and discuss their choice with medical professionals and their family.

The Act will become formally become law in November of 2021.