Process Available

Legislative Referendum

Elections Division

I&R Constitutional and Statutory Provisions

Direct democracy advocates in the Progressive era failed to win initiative and referendum rights at either the state or local levels, except in the city of Bristol. However, citizens in many of the state's small towns still enjoy the right to enact ordinances by popular vote in their town meetings.

This state history is based on research found in David Schmidt's book, Citizen Lawmakers: The Ballot Initiative Revolution.