Nashville, Tennessee. Voters have rejected a proposal making all government business to be done in English. There were 25,573 votes against the proposed amendment and 20,329 in favor.

If the referendum had got a clearance, the only possible government exceptions to the English-only law would have been health and safety.

The mandate has shown that the city of nearly 600,000 people has refused to become the largest in the U. S. to prohibit the translation of written and spoken communications for residents who cannot speak English.

Earlier the proposal had caused dissension and debate. The supporters vied by saying that using one language would unite the city and save money. But business leaders, academics and the city's mayor were worried that it would give the city a bad reputation.