Initiatives

• The terms "referendum" and "initiative" are often used interchangeably. According to the Initiative & Referendum Institute at the University of Southern California, "An initiative is a proposal of a new law or constitutional amendment that is placed on the ballot by petition, that is, by collecting signatures of a certain number of citizens." The minimum number of signatures needed to approve putting an issue to voters varies with each community and is set by their governing bodies.
  
  

Legislative Referendum

• The National Conference of State Legislatures lists two types of referendums: legislative, meaning that the legislature presents an issue to the voters for their approval; and popular, which is an issue that appears on a ballot following a citizen effort to put it to vote. Legislatures can be required to present certain issues to voters, as in the case of proposed changes to a state's constitution. Bond issues and tax amendments are also often given to voters to decide.
  
  

Popular Referendums

• Popular referendums offer voters the opportunity to accept or reject laws they aren't happy with. Voters usually have a specific amount of time during which they can petition the legislature for a referendum.