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Commonwealth Forum: Should Pennsylvania Adopt 

Direct Democracy?

YES

Direct democracy, such as through the initiative, popular referendum, and 
recall processes, allows citizens to place statutes and sometimes amend-
ments to the state constitution on the ballot. Usually this requires the gather-
ing of enough citizen signatures to put the proposal up for a popular vote. 
Similarly, the recall process requires gathering signatures to remove an 
elected official from office and hold another election according to the popu-
lar vote. Through these processes, citizens can overturn a law created by 
their legislature, put legislation on the ballot, or remove an unpopular politi-
cian from office, all while bypassing the usual legislative channels. Pennsyl-
vania is one of just sixteen states, mostly clustered on the eastern seaboard, 
with no form of direct democracy.

From a purely democratic perspective, direct democracy in Pennsylvania 
would be the product of work on behalf of people usually shut out of the 
legislative process. Special interests have far too much influence in the 
 legislature today, with money for campaign donations dictating the policy 
positions of elected officials. Furthermore, direct democracy creates more- 
informed citizens on policy issues. To prepare for voting, citizens must learn 
the ins and outs of various proposals. Additionally, direct democracy  ensures 
that the will of the people is being exercised even if their elected representa-
tives cannot or will not enact legislation to carry it out. For example, while 
gerrymandering directly affects the legislative process and which party con-
trols the agenda, enacting legislation by popular vote would override the role 
of partisanship when drawing legislative boundaries.

NO

One of the fundamental tenets of American government is democratic rule 
by the people. Belief that citizens should consent to the laws that govern 
them is at the core of this belief. Pennsylvania government, like the national 
government, was constructed around the principle of representative democ-
racy. Most of us do not have the time, or, frankly, the knowledge, to examine 
complex issues of public policy. To solve this problem we elect politicians to 
do our work for us. They examine issues through hearings and research, 
deliberate on the consequences of policy options, and then make decisions. 
We then hold them accountable for the full body of their work when they 
run for reelection.



Adopting direct democracy in Pennsylvania sounds like a great idea be-
cause it would give more “power to the people.” However, in practice it would 
have numerous negative effects on the Commonwealth. Initiatives or refer-
endums are passed when 50.1 percent of the voters approve a measure. What 
about the opinions of the remaining 49.9 percent? They get nothing. Repre-
sentative democracy allows for compromise to make sure that multiple 
points of view are part of the policy-making process. Direct democracy also 
promotes making decisions on individual issues without thinking about 
their effect on the whole scope of what government does. Everyone wants 
lower taxes and more services. However, legislators and the governor are 
forced to think about the entire package of services provided to Pennsylva-
nia and pass a balanced budget. Direct democracy doesn’t force voters to link 
all of these issues together. The last, and probably worst, effect of direct de-
mocracy is to allow special interests one more vehicle to push their own in-
terests. Well-funded groups, often from out of state, have successfully funded 
direct democracy campaigns in many states. Do we really want that in Penn-
sylvania?

For More Information

Initiative and Referendum Institute (http://www.iandrinstitute.org/index 
.cfm) is located at the University of Southern California. The institute is 
a nonpartisan educational organization dedicated to the study of the 
initiative and referendum.

National Conference of State Legislatures (http://www.ncsl.org/research/
elections-and-campaigns/initiative-referendum-and-recall-overview 
.aspx) provides a useful overview of the process of direct democracy in 
the United States. NCSL also tracks initiatives and referendums through 
a database, at http://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/
initiative-referendum-database-2014.aspx.

Democratic Delusions: The Initiative Process in America (Lawrence: Uni-
versity Press of Kansas, 2002), by Richard Ellis, explores the role of 
money and outside interests in what he calls the Initiative Industrial 
Complex.

From Pennsylvania Politics and Policy: A Commonwealth Reader, Volume 1. Edited 
by Michelle J. Atherton and J. Wesley Leckrone (Philadelphia, Temple University 
Press, 2018).

mrmuc
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