Process Available

Legislative Referendum

Elections Division

I&R Constitutional and Statutory Provisions

Alabama does not have either the initiative or referendum, although voters must approve constitutional amendments proposed by the legislature. The movement for direct democracy was not successful in Alabama during the Populist/Progressive era. The only victory recorded by Equity, a publication of the initiative and referendum movement, was a state law giving voters the right of referendum on ordinances in major municipalities, which was invoked by petition of 1,000 voters. It wasn’t until the late 1990s that a state elected official advocated adoption of the initiative process in the state. When Fob James was elected Governor, he strongly advocated the adoption of the initiative process, but no significant steps toward adoption were taken.

See David Schmidt, Citizen Lawmakers: The Ballot Initiative Revolution (Temple University Press, 1989).