Referendum is distinguished from the mandate, or instruction of representatives by the people, from direct government by the people, in which they initiate and make the laws by direct action without representation, and from a plebiscite, or popular vote taken on any measure proposed by a person or body having the initiative but not constituting a representative or constituent body
A direct vote by which the electorate can decide issues of public policy put to it by its government After the National Convention* of 1946-48, the government asked Newfoundlanders to decide their political future by this means In the first referendum (3 June 1948), Newfoundlanders voted for one of three forms of government-- continued Commission of Government*; Responsible Government* as it existed in 1933, or confederation* with Canada Neither option received a majority of votes In the second referendum, (22 July 1948), only two options were on the ballot--confederation and responsible government Confederation won with 52 percent of the vote
The method, used by members of the public, by which a measure adopted by the Legislature may be submitted to the electorate for a vote A referendum petition must be signed by electors equal in number to 5 percent of the votes for all candidates for Governor at the last gubernatorial election
A measure referred to voters by a state legislature proposing that specific legislation be approved or rejected Oftentimes, the terms "ballot initiative," "referendum" and "proposition" are used interchangeably
The submission of a law or proposed law to a direct vote of the electorate Referendums are used at the state and local levels Some issues must be submitted to the electorate, such as amendments to a state constitution or increases in property taxes Occasionally, legislatures will submit controversial issues to the voters Issues raised by initiative petition are also commonly submitted to a popular vote
a form of direct democracy in which citizens of a state, through gathering signatures, can require that a legislative act come before the people as a whole for a vote; also allows the legislature to send any proposal for a law to the people for a vote
If a country holds a referendum on a particular policy, they ask the people to vote on the policy and show whether or not they agree with it. Estonia said it too planned to hold a referendum on independence. referenda referendums when people vote in order to make a decision about a particular subject, rather than voting for a person referendum on
The principle or practice of referring measures passed upon by the legislative body to the body of voters, or electorate, for approval or rejection, as in the Swiss cantons (except Freiburg) and in various local governments in the United States, and also in the local option laws, etc
The referral to a public vote in a school district now required to raise taxes above the limits set by the state or to approve most school district borrowing
/n 1 the easiest way to obliterate democracy 2 the process of politically designing a question that has only one answer [Latin from referre, (carry back), related to, "a referred pain in the "] See: Democratic Racism and Justicide
The submission of a law, proposed by the Legislature or already in effect, to a direct vote of the people In Oregon, both houses of the Legislature must vote to refer a statute or constitutional amendment for a popular vote Such referrals cannot be vetoed by the governor In addition, to pLAe a referendum on the ballot, supporters must obtain a specified number of signatures from registered voters The number required is determined by a fixed percentage of the votes cast for all candidates for governor at the general election preceding the filing of the petition Referendum petitions require four percent, currently 44,524 signatures (See also: Initiative)