New Municipality Comes With A New Name: Þingeyjarsveit

The newly merged municipality of Þingeyjarsveit and Skútustaðahreppur will probably be named Þingeyjarsveit, RÚV reports. Residents took part in an opinion poll on the naming, and the results were decisive.

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The residents could choose between four names. According to law, it is up to the new local government to make the final decision on the name.

Helgi Héðinsson, mayor of Skútustaðahreppur and chairman of the preparatory board for the merging of the municipalities, says the results have been decisive: “61% of those who took part in this advisory opinion poll chose the name Þingeyjarsveit.”

All residents aged 16 and over were eligible to participate, or just over 1,100 people. Helgi says the participation has not been particularly good, with only about 27% who voted.

The name Suðurþing received 25%, Goðaþing—8%, Laxárþing—6% of the total votes.

A similar poll was held at the same time among primary school students. Most students also voted for the Þingeyjarsveit name.