The initiative and referendum are intended to be available to the people when their elected representatives (i.e., the Governor and Legislature) are unwilling or . In Massachusetts, if enough signatures are submitted for an initiated constitutional amendment, the initiative first goes to the legislature where it must garner approval in two successive legislative sessions from one-quarter of state senators and representatives voting together in a joint session. The initiative, referendum and recall are more ways to include citizens in government. What are the Mechanisms for Reform and Amendment? A.R.S. For one, it allows the public to vote yes or no on the implementation of a proposal. A frequent criticism of citizens initiatives is that they are only really accessible to well-resourced organisations and interests, and that the process is therefore hijacked by special interest groups promoting their own interests. Ongoing Costs to Maintain New System. If the Legislature passes a law that voters do not approve of, they may gather signatures to demand a popular vote on the law. For instance, changes to the state constitution must be approved by voters before they can take effect. Electoral Assistance Division (EAD). NCSL summarizes the results of the Feb. 21, 2023, special elections in Kentucky, New Hampshire, Virginia and Wisconsin. (08 Aug 2008), Representation of women in Ukraine Initiatives and referendums in the United States, Indirect initiated state constitutional amendment, Jameson, P.K. So, what are the benefits of having a direct binding referendum? Through referendum and initiative, people can propose, approve or repeal laws that affect them. II secs. One often cited disadvantage of citizens initiatives is that they result in badly drafted law, since (except in the case of indirect initiatives) the wording of the measure as initially proposed ends up as statute if the measure is passed. While these processes have evolved somewhat over the past century, state and local initiative, referendum, and recall campaigns still generally involve the circulation of signature petitions to place measures on the ballot.
