Politics Essay: Democracy

Distinguish between an election and a referendum

The purpose of an election is to fill offices or posts and to form government. The purpose of a referendum is to make policy decisions. In an election, the electorate vote for a candidate or party whereas in a referendum, people give a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ opinion. Elections are related to general issues as the electorate vote for all of the candidate’s policies. Referendums on the other hand, are related to a specific piece of policy or issue. Elections are legally required as part of a representative democracy and take place quite regularly. Referendums, however, are a device of direct democracy and the government decides when they happen.