Question

During the Progressive Era, many state and local governments adopted initiative, referendum, and recall procedures that

(1) eliminated the need for the electoral college
(2) created political action committees (PACs)
(3) gave voters a more direct voice in government
(4) strengthened the role of the president's cabinet

Answer 1

Initiative, referendum, and recall procedures during the Progressive Era empowered voters with a more direct voice in government, allowing for new laws to be proposed, existing laws to be affirmed or rejected by the electorate, and officials to be removed from office through democratic processes.

Step-by-step explanation:

During the Progressive Era, many state and local governments adopted initiative, referendum, and recall procedures which gave voters a more direct voice in government. The initiative process allowed citizens to propose new laws by collecting signatures on a petition to place the proposal on the ballot. By 1920, twenty states had adopted the initiative process.

The referendum process enabled citizens to counteract legislation by putting an existing law on the ballot for voters to affirm or reject, providing an additional form of citizen participation in the electoral process. Finally, the recall process allowed citizens to remove public officials from office through a petition and vote, further enhancing direct democracy and promoting reform of the electoral process controlled by political machines during the Gilded Age.