What is a referendum?

What is a referendum?

Kids Definition of referendum : the practice of voting on an issue : the submission to popular vote of a measure passed on or proposed by a legislative body or by popular initiative also : the popular vote on a measure so submitted

What are the different types of referendums and initiatives?

Referendums & Initiatives Key Terms Referendum: a vote by the people of a state to accept or overturn a law Direct Democracy: laws established directly by the people Legislative Referendums: fulfill state constitution requirements Popular Referendums: legislation placed on election ballots for voters to decide

What is a referenda?

Since the U.S. Constitution doesn’t provide for referenda (notice the common plural form) at the national level, referenda tend to be on local and state issues. In most locales, a few questions usually appear on the ballot at election time, often involving such issues as new zoning ordinances, new taxes for schools, and new limits on spending.

What is ad referendum in international law?

REFERENDUM, international law. When an ambassador receives propositions touching an object over which he has no sufficient power and he is without instruction, he accepts it ad referendum, that is, under the condition that it shall be acted upon by his government, to which it is referred.

Can a government initiated referendum be binding or indicative?

A government initiated referendum can: be binding or indicative (non-binding). ask more than one question or have questions with more than two possible answers. At last year’s general election, you could vote in two referendums. You could vote on whether the recreational use of cannabis should become legal.

Are referendums a good or bad idea?

Qvortrup says referendums are a good idea if deployed sparingly and on issues that are of major significance. “Referendums are a good idea if used as a people’s veto,” he says. “You need to save people’s civic reserves for when it really matters.

What happened to Ireland’s 1972 referendum turnout?

The 1972 poll on whether to join the European Economic Community, in contrast, drew a record 70% turnout. Some 68% of the electorate turned out in 1992 for three votes on abortion. Referendums transformed Ireland from a quasi-Catholic theocracy into a liberal beacon. The most notable example was a vote to repeal a ban on abortion in 2018.