ballot initiative
Citizen-proposed measure
A ballot initiative is a proposed law or constitutional amendment placed directly before voters, bypassing the legislature.
Citizens typically gather signatures to qualify the measure for an election ballot.
The ballot initiative to legalize marijuana passed with 54% of the vote.
Also called a ballot measure or proposition.
The process varies by state and isn't available everywhere.
- referendumDirect vote on legislation
- propositionStatement expressing a judgment
- measureUnit of quantity
- voteFormal choice expression
- pollingSystematic opinion gathering
direct democracy · democracy · petition · signature gathering · signatures · voter registration · grassroots · campaign · get out the vote · amendment · recall · electorate · swing voters · reform · advocacy · citizens · legislature · direct
- democracyvote, voting, election, elections, voters
- politicsdemocracy, campaigning, campaigns, democrats, bill
- votingvote, voters, voter, polls, candidates
- civic eventstown meeting, public hearing, election, public forum, community meeting
- political eventselection, campaign, debate, vote, rally
- ballots
ballot initiativelegislative bill
Proposed statute for enactment
statute · executive order · act of Congress · court ruling · judicial decree
ballot initiativerepresentative democracy
Governance through chosen delegates
legislative process · parliamentary procedure · royal proclamation · judicial ruling · backroom deal
ballot, initiative, ballots, balloting, balloted, initiate, initiates, initiated, initiating