In November 2018, the territorial community of New Caledonia will determine whether to become an independent state or remain under French sovereignty. With less than one year to the vote, there are details yet to be finalised, including long-running divisions on who is eligible to vote. This In Brief is the first of a three-part series exploring different aspects of the referendum process. It examines the historical origins of the referendum and the complexities associated with democratic self-determination in the New Caledonian context.