Referendums are normally questions that are placed to the entire electorate to vote on. They are carried out when constitutional issues are contested or too weighty for representatives to handle on their own.
The plural form of referendum is "referendums" or "referenda."
They wanted initiatives and referendums because government should be more responsive to public opinion.
41.
There are 2 acceptable plurals: referendums or referenda
Yes
yes
state government
Many countries utilize referendums as a means of direct democracy, allowing citizens to vote on specific issues or policies. Notable examples include Switzerland, where referendums are a common practice at both the national and cantonal levels, and Italy, which frequently holds referendums on constitutional and legislative matters. Other countries, such as France and Australia, also employ referendums, though less frequently. Additionally, some nations, like the United Kingdom, have used referendums for significant decisions, such as Brexit.
There were two major conscription referendums in Australia during World War I. The first took place in October 1916, and the second in December 1917. Both referendums aimed to gauge public support for introducing compulsory military service, but both were defeated.
Either referendums or referenda is acceptable.
The plural of refendum is referenda or referendums.
They are held because Australia is a democracy, and public opinion should decide yes or no on a given issue. In Western Australia we have had a long and tiresome debate (and 2 referendums) about daylight saving. In both referendums the public said no, but it went ahead anyway. We are about to have a third referendum on daylight saving. I don't understand why they are holding referendums that cost the public millions, when it seems to be already decided that the public's opinion will be ignored.