The most well-known examples of Referendums are ones that occur with national governments. However, Referendums are common in some countries, and not so common in others. Switzerland, for example, has conducted over national Referendums. By contrast, in Canada, very few Referendums have ever come up — in fact, there have only been three.
Brexit, the decision to leave the European Union by the United Kingdom, is a recent example of a Referendum at a national level. In the United States, Referendums are not held at a federal level because the United States Constitution does not allow for them; however, Referendums may be held at the state level. A very closely related type of election is known as a plebiscite. Typically, these will relate to issues of major constitutional or political significance, such as a country's constitution, sovereignty, or international relations.
A large proportion of referendums held in Europe, for example, have been connected to the issue of European integration. However, where referendums are optional, the subject matter on which they are held may vary. Without restrictions, abrogative referendums could relate to any issue that is the subject of legislation. Some countries that provide for holding referendums therefore place restrictions on the issues that can be the subject of referendums.
In Uruguay, for example, referendums cannot be held in relation to fiscal policy or laws relating to the executive, whilst in Colombia, political amnesty is barred from being the subject of a referendum.
A number of issues arise in regard to the politics, administration and logistics of holding a referendum. When a referendum is held, it must be decided whether or not it is to be combined with another poll e. It is sometimes argued that combining polls can increase the risk that voters will confuse separate issues e.
However, from an administrative point of view, it may be more cost effective to hold a referendum at the same time as an election. A second important issue relates to the wording of the referendum question. Studies suggest that the wording of the question can have an important effect on the outcome of a referendum; who determines the exact question that appears on the ballot is therefore significant.
Is the government responsible for framing the question, even in cases when the government initiates the referendum and therefore has an interest in designing the question to increase the chances of achieving its own desired outcome? Does the Electoral Management Body have oversight of the question? Whoever designs the question, it is important that the question put to voters must be clear and straightforward.
For information on the UK Electoral Commission's approach to referendums questions, click here. In relation to the referendum campaign, campaign regulations may be implemented to try to ensure that there is a level playing field between organisations campaigning for and against the referendum.
Alternatively, public funds may be allocated to campaign groups to ensure a minimum level of campaign spending on each outcome. The role of the government in a referendum campaign can also be important. Is the government allowed to campaign for the outcome it supports in Ireland, the government is not allowed to campaign ; does it distribute its own promotional material or run government broadcasts outlining its views?
Does the Electoral Management Body have a role in providing information to voters? If information is provided through a neutral channel, who can put information into this channel? Voters may be more inclined to trust information from sources other than campaigners, and a source of information that is perceived to be neutral will be important to many voters. The Referendum on Irish Citizenship.
Finally, a critical issue is when a referendum is judged to have passed. In some countries, a referendum will pass if a simple majority of voters vote "yes. Follow Ballotpedia. Click here to follow election results! In the U. Some states that lack statewide initiatives and referendums allow for initiatives and referendums in local jurisdictions.
There is no federal initiative and referendum process in the U. Washington, D. In addition to citizen-initiated ballot measures, there are several types of ballot measures, including automatic ballot referrals , bond issues , commission-referred constitutional amendments , constitutional convention questions , legislatively referred state statutes , and legislatively referred constitutional amendments. Ballotpedia features , encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers.
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