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To create a referendum, the legislature must pass a law that requires a popular vote. The legislature can also put a law up for a referendum if a certain number of registered voters petition for it.

Comparison and contrast of an initiative and a referendum:

The main difference between an initiative and a referendum is that an initiative allows citizens to propose a new law, while a referendum allows citizens to vote on a law that has been passed by the legislature.

Another difference is that the initiative process is typically more difficult than the referendum process. This is because the initiative requires a larger number of signatures, and the proposed law must be more specific.

Pros and cons of each:

The pros of initiatives and referendums include:

• They allow citizens to have a direct say in the laws that govern them.
• They can be used to bypass a corrupt or unresponsive legislature.
• They can be used to make major changes to the government, such as term limits or campaign finance reform.

The cons of initiatives and referendums include:

• They can be expensive and time-consuming to get on the ballot.
• They can be difficult to understand, especially for complex issues.
• They can be used to pass laws that are not in the best interests of the majority of people.

How initiatives and referendums support the idea of direct democracy:

Initiatives and referendums are a form of direct democracy, which is a system of government in which the people have the power to make decisions directly, rather than through elected representatives.

The Arizona Constitution outlines the idea of direct democracy in Article IV, Section 1, which states that “the people reserve the power to propose laws, enact laws, and approve or reject laws.”

Initiatives and referendums allow the people of Arizona to exercise this power by directly proposing and voting on laws. This helps to ensure that the government is responsive to the will of the people.

In addition to initiatives and referendums, the Arizona Constitution also provides for other forms of direct democracy, such as recall elections and recall petitions. These mechanisms allow the people to hold their elected officials accountable.

Overall, initiatives and referendums are an important part of the Arizona political system. They help to ensure that the people have a direct say in the laws that govern them, and they support the idea of direct democracy.