Question

Define and explain the impact of the following political reforms in complete sentences: recall, referendum and initiative.

Answer 1

Initiative: Voters can propose and vote for new laws.

Referedum: Legislator proposes a law, voters vote on it.

Recall: Can remove an elected representative from office.

Answer 2

Recall is a procedure by which, in certain polities, voters can remove an elected official from office through a direct vote before that official's term has ended.

Referendum is a direct and universal vote in which an entire electorate is invited to vote on a particular proposal, it can be nationwide or local forms. This may result in the adoption of a new policy or specific law. In some countries, it is synonymous with a plebiscite or a vote on a ballot question.

Initiative is a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a government to choose to either enact a law or hold a public vote in parliament in what is called indirect initiative, or under direct initiative, the proposition is immediately put to a plebiscite or referendum, in what is called a Popular initiated Referendum or citizen-initiated referendum.