 President Gorbachev tried to gain popular support for the proposal.On March 17, 1991, a popular referendum was held in the nine republics (Russia, Ukraine, Byelorussia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kirghizia, Turkmenia, and Tajikistan) which participated in the drafting of the treaty.In the referendum 76% of voters supported maintaining the federal system of the Soviet Union, including a majority in all of the nine republics.