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decide!” is the rallying cry.
“Nonsense!” say others. “We were elected to represent the people and it would be a copout to do anything less.”
Commentary
Virginia’s constitution requires statewide referenda on constitutional amendments and general obligation bonds. And the General Assembly has been notably stingy in extending this privilege any further.
Over the past couple of decades, proposals have been made to submit to a statewide vote such issues as abortion, the Equal Rights Amendment and even a ban on disposable drink bottles and cans, all without success.
The only recent statewide referendum not required by law was in 1978 when Virginians narrowly rejected parimutuel betting.
In the late 1970’s, the assembly defeated proposals to establish an “initiative and referendum” system similar to that used in California and a handful of other states. Under this system, if enough citizens sign petitions, issues can bypass the legislature and go directly on the ballot.
Proponents of initiative and referendum argue that legislative votes often fly in the face of popular senti
92.3%