California's experience with direct democracy
Abstract
BY SHAUN BOWLER AND TODD DONOVAN Of the three variants of direct democracyâthe initiative, recall and referendumâthe referendum is the most familiar in European politics. But it is the initiative which is the most visible and important part of California politics. Although both initiative and referendum are categorised as âdirect democracy,â differences between the two are profound. With the referendum, politiciansâtypically the governmentâformulate the proposal to be voted on. Whether to ask the electorate to ballot on a proposal, the wording of the question, the timing of the election and the majority required are all controlled by the government. In effect, government makes a âtake it or leave itâ offer to voters. In the initiative, however, it is voters (or a pressure group) who draft the proposal, decide whether to have a public vote and set when the vote will occur. The initiative process makes voters not just veto-holders or rubber stamps; it makes them agenda setters.1 California has been the leading American state in use of the initiative in recent decades.2 Outside of Switzerland, it is engaged in the modern worldâs most ambitious experience of direct democracy. To some observers, citizen-initiated laws may replace representative democracy as