A referendum is a direct vote by the electorate on a specific proposal, law, or political issue. It's also known as a plebiscite or ballot measure. Referendums can be either binding, where the outcome directly determines the action taken, or advisory, where the result serves as guidance for decision-makers. This form of direct democracy allows citizens to express their views on important matters, influencing policy and governance.
In 1916, an Australian conscription referendum was held, although it did not concern constitutional matters.
In 1933, António de Oliveira Salazar made use of referendums as well as show elections to further legitimize their authority.
In 1934, Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler made use of referendums as well as show elections to further legitimize their authority.
In 1936, Adolf Hitler made use of referendums as well as show elections to further legitimize their authority.
In 1947, Francisco Franco made use of referendums as well as show elections to further legitimize their authority.
Polls in Newfoundland (1949) were counted under a form of the two-round system
In 1957, Sweden held a multiple choice referendum where voters were offered three options.
In 1972, Park Chung Hee made use of referendums as well as show elections to further legitimize their authority.
In 1973, Ferdinand Marcos made use of referendums as well as show elections to further legitimize their authority.
In 1977, a referendum was held in Australia to determine a new national anthem, presenting voters with four choices.
In the 1977 Australian referendum, the winner was chosen by the system of preferential instant-runoff voting (IRV).
In 1980, Sweden held a multiple choice referendum where voters were offered three options.
In 1982, Guam held a referendum that included six options, along with a blank option for write-in candidates.
An unusual form of TRS was used in the 1992 New Zealand poll.
In 1992, New Zealand conducted a five-option referendum on their electoral system.
In the 2005 Italian fertility laws referendum, opponents campaigned for abstention to lower turnout, leading to invalid results despite a majority voting for changes.
A 2009 article in The Economist argued that citizens' initiatives restricted the ability of the California state government to tax and pass the budget, calling for a new constitution.
In 2009, a referendum on daylight saving was held in Western Australia. The referendum did not affect either the federal or state constitution.
In 2017, the Spanish Constitutional Court suspended Catalonia's independence referendum following a challenge.
In 2018, the Irish Citizens' Assembly considered how future referendums in Ireland should be conducted, with a majority favoring more than two options and preferential voting.
In 2021, the European Court of Human Rights extended its jurisdiction to referendums with the judgment Toplak and Mrak v. Slovenia, initiated by disabled voters over polling place access.
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