Direct democracy is the term used to describe particular forms of voting within any democratic system. The term direct democracy is commonly used to refer to three distinct types of vote: referendums, citizen initiatives and recall. The common characteristic of these mechanisms is that they all place more power directly in the hands of voters, as opposed to elected representatives.
Direct democracy is therefore often seen as conflicting with representative democracy, in which voters elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf. In contrast, under direct democracy, voters can themselves make decisions about specific policies or issues. Broad arguments are advanced in favor of and against direct democracy. This Encyclopedia topic looks at three different forms of direct democracy, explains how direct democracy mechanisms are designed and administered, and outlines the advantages and disadvantages of each.
