Final answer:
Initiative, referendum, and recall are all voting reforms from the Progressive Era, a time of political reform in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, aiming to increase democracy and reduce corruption by giving more power to the people.
Step-by-step explanation:
Initiative, referendum, and recall are voting reforms that are associated with the Progressive Era. This was a period of widespread social activism and political reform across the United States from the 1890s to the 1920s. The initiative process allowed voters to propose and vote on new legislation directly, circumventing the legislative body. Similarly, a referendum enabled voters to approve or reject laws passed by the legislature. The recall gave citizens the power to remove elected officials from office through a voting process. These mechanisms aimed to increase citizen participation and reduce the influence of special interests in government by giving more direct control to the voters.
Several states adopted these reforms to enhance democratic practices and empower the electorate. South Dakota was the first state to put initiatives on the ballot in 1898, and Oregon was the pioneer in the recall in 1910. These reforms came about as part of the broader Progressive movement, which also brought about the direct election of U.S. Senators through the 17th Amendment and other significant changes to American democracy.