plebiscites
Direct democracy ballots
Plebiscites is the plural of plebiscite, a direct vote by an entire electorate on a major political question—typically matters of sovereignty, territorial boundaries, or constitutional change.
Unlike regular elections, plebiscites ask voters to decide a specific issue rather than choose representatives: The region held plebiscites on independence.
The term often implies questions of national self-determination.
Voting document
- referendumDirect vote on legislation
- electorateEligible voting body
- suffrageRight to cast ballots
- pollingSystematic opinion gathering
turnout · franchise · enfranchisement · disenfranchisement · tally · abstention · proxy · scrutineers
Formal withdrawal from union
- independenceFreedom from external control
- annexationAbsorbing territory into jurisdiction
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
- unificationMerging into one entity
constitutional amendment · EU membership · Brexit · partition · statehood · confederation · devolution · reunification
Control over one's fate
- sovereigntySupreme independent authority
- legitimacyLawful or rightful status
- participationAct of taking part
- citizenshipStatus as state member
civic duty · self-governance · popular sovereignty · consent of governed · grassroots · pluralism · deliberation · transparency
Formal approval by authority
- mandateFormal authoritative directive
- approvalFavorable opinion given
- rejectionDenial of acceptance
- majorityOver half of total
landslide · decisive · supermajority · plurality · quorum · binding · advisory · threshold
Prevailing attitude of society
- pollsOpinion surveys or voting sites
- surveySystematic data collection
- attitudesSettled ways of feeling
- perceptionMental interpretation of stimuli
campaign · propaganda · mobilization · debate · media coverage · voter education · public discourse · endorsement
ballot
Voting document
- referendumDirect vote on legislation
- electorateEligible voting body
- suffrageRight to cast ballots
polling · turnout · franchise · enfranchisement · disenfranchisement · tally · abstention · proxy · scrutineers · balloting
secession
Formal withdrawal from union
- independenceFreedom from external control
- annexationAbsorbing territory into jurisdiction
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
unification · constitutional amendment · EU membership · Brexit · partition · statehood · confederation · devolution · reunification
self-determination
Control over one's fate
- sovereigntySupreme independent authority
- legitimacyLawful or rightful status
- participationAct of taking part
citizenship · civic duty · self-governance · popular sovereignty · consent of governed · grassroots · pluralism · deliberation · transparency · accountability
ratification
Formal approval by authority
majority · landslide · decisive · supermajority · plurality · quorum · binding · advisory · threshold · passage
public sentiment
Prevailing attitude of society
- pollsOpinion surveys or voting sites
- surveySystematic data collection
- attitudesSettled ways of feeling
perception · campaign · propaganda · mobilization · debate · media coverage · voter education · public discourse · endorsement · opposition
- politicsdemocracy, campaigning, campaigns, democrats, bill
- Puerto RicoSan Juan, Puerto Rico, Carolina, Old San Juan, Arecibo
- Italian HistoryRome, Venice, Florence, Naples, Sicily
- direct democracyreferendums, ballot initiatives, ballot measures, propositions, initiatives
- Roman Politicsconsul, senate, praetor, tribune, Roman Senate
- Roman LawRoman law, Corpus Juris Civilis, Justinian Code, Twelve Tables, Digest
plebiscitesjudicial rulings
Formal court determinations
decrees · edicts · fiats · executive orders · royal edicts
plebiscitescoups
Forcible regime changes
usurpations · impositions · annexations · authoritarian rule · despotism