GLOSSARY
Abrogative referendum
A vote of the electorate which may repeal a law or decree that has been agreed and promulgated by the legislature and already implemented.
Ad hoc referendum
A vote of the electorate called by a person or group within the executive or the legislature but not otherwise provided for by law.
Agenda initiative
A direct democracy procedure which enables citizens to submit a proposal which must be considered by the legislature but is not necessarily put to a vote of the electorate.
Approval quorum
A requirement for passage of a proposal which takes the form of a specified number of votes or a percentage of the electorate in support of the proposal.
Ballot text
Text which appears on the ballot paper for a vote of the electorate under a direct democracy procedure, typically in the form of a question or a series of options. For a referendum it may be a specified question text, or a question seeking agreement or rejection of a text; for an initiative, a question asking for agreement or rejection of a proposal identified by the title of the citizens’ initiative; for a recall, a question asking for agreement or rejection of the early termination of the period in office of a specified office holder.
Binding referendum
A vote of the electorate where, if a proposal passes, the government or appropriate authority is compelled to implement it.
Citizens’ demand
A direct democracy procedure that allows citizens to initiate a referendum to repeal an existing law (abrogative referendum) or a law recently adopted by a legislature (rejective referendum).
Citizens’ initiative
A direct democracy procedure that allows citizens to initiate a vote of the electorate on a proposal outlined by those citizens. The proposal may be for a new law, for a constitutional amendment, or to repeal or amend an existing law.
Consultative referendum
A vote of the electorate the outcome of which is in legal terms only advisory for a government or appropriate authority.
Counter-proposal
A proposal agreed by the legislature to be presented to a vote of the electorate as an alternative to the proposal contained in a citizens’ initiative.
Direct democracy procedure
A legal arrangement which gives citizens the right to be directly involved in the political decision-making process. It may take one of three forms:
- citizens voting on a public policy proposal originated elsewhere (referendum);
- citizens setting the agenda by originating a public policy proposal themselves (initiative); and
- citizens requesting and voting on the early termination of the period in office of one of the personnel of government (recall). Also known as a direct democracy instrument and a direct democracy mechanism.
Double majority
A requirement for a proposal to pass which includes both a majority of the total votes cast and a majority of the votes in a specified number of sub-national areas
Electoral management body (EMB)
An organization or body which has been founded for the sole purpose of, and is legally responsible for, managing some or all of the essential (or core) elements of the conduct of elections, and of direct democracy procedures.
Electorate
The total number of electors registered to vote.
Initiative
A procedure which allows citizens to put forward a proposal. One form (citizens’ initiative) leads to a vote of the electorate, a second (agenda initiative) to the consideration by the legislature or other specified authority.
Legality check
The scrutiny by a public authority of the constitutionality and legality of a proposal.
Mandatory referendum
A vote of the electorate which is required under circumstances defined in the constitution or in legislation. Also known as an obligatory referendum.
Optional referendum
A vote of the electorate which is not required by the constitution or by law.
Plebiscite
Sometimes used as a synonym for a referendum called by the authority, often the executive.
Proponents
The citizens who first sign and deposit an initiative proposal.
Proposal
The complete text of a referendum or initiative proposal. Sometimes called a measure or proposition.
Qualified majority
A majority requirement demanding that for a proposal to be passed, it must receive a proportion of the vote in excess of 50 per cent plus 1 – for example two-thirds or three-quarters.
Quorum
See approval quorum and turnout quorum.
Recall
A direct democracy procedure that allows a specified number of citizens and/or an appropriate authority to demand a vote of the electorate on whether an elected holder of public office should be removed from that office before the end of her/his term.
Referendum
A direct democracy procedure consisting of a vote of the electorate on an issue of public policy such as a constitutional amendment or a draft law. Also known as popular consultation or a plebiscite.
Referendum question
See ballot text.
Registration of a citizens’ initiative
The act of depositing an initiative for publication and collection of signatures, whereby the legal process of the initiative is officially started.
Registered committee
The proponents of a referendum, initiative or recall when they are officially registered in the form of a committee.
Rejective referendum
A vote of the electorate which may veto a law or decree that has been agreed by the legislature but has not yet come into force. Also known as a facultative referendum.
Submission
The act of depositing collected signatures with the proper authority in a citizens’ initiative or citizens’ demand process.
Turnout quorum
A specified minimum voter turnout required for a vote of the electorate to be valid.
Verification
The declaration of acceptance by the proper authority that the submission contains at least the required number of valid signatures and complies with the law, regulations and procedural rules.