The plebiscite was held simultaneously with the Jan. 5 presidential vote in which Mikheil Saakashvili won his second presidential term.
The Central Election Commission said 72.5 percent of those who cast ballots in the referendum said they supported Georgia's accession into NATO. The turnout was 58.9 percent.
"We expected such results," Georgy Baramidze, minister for European integration, said in televised comments. "They show that we have support of majority of the population."
NATO member states have supported Georgia's hopes of joining the Western alliance.
Also on Jan. 5, Georgians approved a referendum to move up parliamentary elections from late 2008. A total of 69.8 percent of those who cast ballots voted for holding early parliamentary elections in the spring.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.