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Direct democracy has drawbacks, however. One is that it requires more of voters. Instead of voting based on party, the voter is expected to read and become informed to make smart decisions. Initiatives can fundamentally change a constitution or raise taxes. Recalls remove politicians from office. These are not small decisions. Most citizens, however, do not have the time to perform a lot of research before voting. Given the high number of measures on some ballots, this may explain why many citizens simply skip ballot measures they do not understand. Direct democracy ballot items regularly earn fewer votes than the choice of a governor or president.
When citizens rely on television ads, initiative titles, or advice from others in determining how to vote, they can become confused and make the wrong decisions. In 2008, Californians voted on
Proposition 8 , titled “Eliminates Rights of Same-Sex Couples to Marry.” A yes vote meant a voter wanted to define marriage as only between a woman and man. Even though the information was clear and the law was one of the shortest in memory, many voters were confused. Some thought of the amendment as the same-sex marriage amendment. In short, some people voted
for the initiative because they thought they were voting
for same-sex marriage. Others voted against it because they were against same-sex marriage.
Jessica Garrison, “Prop. 8 Leaves Some Voters Puzzled,”
Los Angeles Times , 31 October 2008.
Direct democracy also opens the door to special interests funding personal projects. Any group can create an organization to spearhead an initiative or referendum. And because the cost of collecting signatures can be high in many states, signature collection may be backed by interest groups or wealthy individuals wishing to use the initiative to pass pet projects. The 2003 recall of California governor Gray Davis faced difficulties during the signature collection phase, but $2 million in donations by Representative Darrell Issa (R-CA) helped the organization attain nearly one million signatures.
Mark Barabak, “10 memorable moments from the recall of Gov. Gray Davis, 10 years later,”
Los Angeles Times , http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-me-recall-pictures-20131001-photogallery.html (August 1, 2015). Many commentators argued that this example showed direct democracy is not always a process by the people, but rather a process used by the wealthy and business.
Direct democracy allows the voters in a state to write laws, amend constitutions, remove politicians from office, and approve decisions made by government. Initiatives are laws or constitutional amendments on the ballot. Referendums ask voters to approve a decision by the government. The process for ballot measures requires the collection of signatures from voters, approval of the measure by state government, and a ballot election. Recalls allow citizens to remove politicians from office. While direct democracy does give citizens a say in the policies and laws of their state, it can also be used by businesses and the wealthy to pass policy goals. Initiatives can also lead to bad policy if voters do not research the measure or misunderstand the law.
Abrajano, Marisa A., and R. Michael Alvarez. 2012. New Faces, New Voices: The Hispanic Electorate in America . Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Adkins, Randall, ed. 2008. The Evolution of Political Parties, Campaigns, and Elections: Landmark Documents 1787–2007 . Washington, DC: CQ Press.
Boller, Paul. 2004. Presidential Campaigns: From George Washington to George W. Bush . Oxford: Oxford University Press.
The Center for American Women and Politics (cawp.rutgers.edu).
The Center for Responsive Politics (opensecrets.org).
Craig, Stephen C., and David B. Hill, eds. 2011. The Electoral Challenge: Theory Meets Practice , 2nd ed. Washington, DC: CQ Press.
Fiorina, Morris. 1981. Retrospective Voting in American National Elections . New Haven: Yale University Press.
Frank, Thomas. 2004. What’s the Matter with Kansas? How Conservatives Won the Heart of America . New York: Henry Holt.
Initiative and Reform Institute (http://www.iandrinstitute.org).
Interactive Electoral College map (270towin.com).
Jacobson, Gary C. 2012. The Politics of Congressional Elections , 8th ed. New York: Pearson.
Lewis-Beck, Michael S., William G. Jacoby, Helmut Norpoth, and Herbert F. Weisberg. 2008. American Vote Revisited . Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
Lupia, Arthur, and Matthew McCubbins. 1998. Democratic Dilemma: Can Citizens Learn What They Need to Know? Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Parker, David C. W. 2014. Battle for the Big Sky: Representation and the Politics of Place in the Race for the U.S. Senate . Washington, DC: CQ Press.
PolitiFact (www.politifact.com).
Polsby, Nelson, Aaron Wildavsky, Steven Schier, and David Hopkins. 2011. Presidential Elections: Strategies and Structures of American Politics . New York: Rowman and Littlefield.
Project Vote Smart (votesmart.org).
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