Direct Democracy: Initiative, Referendum, and Recall

In the Progressive era of the early twentieth century, reformers sought to provide citizens a more direct role in making political decisions. In addition to the Seventeenth Amendment, which allowed citizens to vote directly in senatorial elections, progressives also implemented the direct primary, which allowed voters to choose Democratic and Republican nominees for office, rather than allow party officials to select their party's candidates. Direct primaries were adopted in every state by 1917. In many states, progressives also introduced three important measures to provide citizens a greater voice in their government: initiative, referendum, and recall. Initiative allowed voters to propose new laws, which they could approved or reject at the polls on election day. Referendum enabled voters to vote down laws passed by their state legislature. Recall permitted voters to vote unpopular or corrupt officials out of office, without having to wait until that official was up for re-election. In recent elections, voters in several states have introduced initiatives, especially to deal with controversial issues such as gay and lesbian rights, the use of marijuana for medical purposes, taxation, and affirmative action.