Direct Legislation: Ballot Measures and Referendums
When citizens bypass the legislature entirely — initiatives, referendums, and plebiscites as tools of direct democracy.
Legislating Without a Legislature
In most democracies, citizens choose representatives who make laws on their behalf. But direct democracy allows citizens to make law themselves. A citizen initiative lets voters propose and vote on a new law — bypassing the legislature entirely. A referendum puts a legislative decision to a popular vote, either because the constitution requires it or because the government chooses to consult the public. A recall allows voters to remove an elected official before their term ends.
Switzerland is the world champion of direct democracy. Swiss citizens vote in federal referendums three to four times a year on issues from immigration policy to tax rates. In the US, 26 states allow citizen initiatives. California alone has passed hundreds of ballot propositions since 1911, on topics ranging from property taxes (Proposition 13) to marijuana legalization (Proposition 64).