An unofficial referendum on the sale of the islands to the United States was held in the Danish West Indies on 17 August 1916.^[1] The proposal was approved by 99.83% of voters, with only seven people voting against.^[1] It followed the Treaty of the Danish West Indies, which was signed on 4 August, and also approved by a referendum in Denmark in December 1916. The islands were transferred to the United States in 1917.

1916 Danish West Indies status referendum

17 August 1916 (1916-08-17)
Results
Choice Votes % Yes 4,027 99.83% No 7 0.17%

No vote was held on Water Island, which had been sold by Denmark to the East Asiatic Company, a private shipping company, in 1905, and was no longer part of the colony.^[2]