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In the politics of the United States, the process of initiatives and referendums allow citizens of many U.S. states to place legislation on the ballot for a referendum or popular vote, either enacting new legislation, or voting down existing legislation.
The use of the initiative and referendum (I&R) process has ebbed and flowed throughout U.S. history. Initiatives and referendums, which come from a variety of ideologies, can enact changes within governments at the local, state and national levels.
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Initiative and Referendum (I&R) powers give state residents the ability to have a direct voice in the governing rules of their state’s constitution. These processes can also be an influential tool for local officials of coun-ties and municipalities.
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Initiatives and referendums from this perspective are tools that allow the people to regain control of their governments. Yet many questions swirl around direct democracy: Are the voters compe-tent to make public decisions? Or are they too uninformed, emotional, and susceptible to pressure group influence?
Twenty-four states in the U.S. implement an initiative process and 23 states have a referendum process. Initiatives can have long-lasting effects, and some states, including Missouri, allow for constitutional amendments as well as additions to statute via this process.
In California, according to political scientist Dave McCuan, only 26% of all initiatives filed have made it to the ballot and only 8% of those filed actually were adopted by the voters. During the 2000 election cycle, over 350 initiatives were filed in the 24 initiative states and 76 made the ballot – about 22% ii.
referendums is the promotion of government by the people.6 The presumption exists that they constitute a purer form of democracy and expression of the will of the people than legislation by represen-tative assembly.7 Initiatives and referendums have become more prevalent recently,' largely due to the national publicity given to Cal-ifornia's Pro...
