variants
or referendums
as in votes
an event in which the electorate votes for or against a law that deals with a specific issue
They are having a referendum so the public can decide the controversial issue.
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Recent Examples of referenda
Cities that have called withdrawal elections have until mid-March to call off the May referendums.
—
Lilly Kersh, Dallas Morning News, 9 Jan. 2026
In response, states such as Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Arkansas, and Wyoming enacted legislation that would expressly prohibit foreign funds from being spent on domestic ballot referendums.
—Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 1 Jan. 2026
Joel Hand, a lobbyist for the Indiana Coalition for Public Education, said that generally small rural school districts have the hardest time passing referendums, when taxpayers are strained the most, and suburban school districts have the greatest success.
—Caroline Beck, IndyStar, 26 Dec. 2025
In Janesville, voters are trying to require referendums for data centers.
—Tom Kertscher, jsonline.com, 19 Dec. 2025
Those referendums have been widely criticized as sham votes by the international community.
—Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 5 Dec. 2025
Every four years since then, people write pieces just like this one about how midterms are not the place for bold visions for governance but rather referendums on the party in power.
—Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 5 Dec. 2025
Voters approved similar referendums in 2018, 2012 and 2006.
—Imani Cruzen, Twin Cities, 3 Dec. 2025
Voters in Hialeah, Homestead, Miami, Miami Beach and Surfside all had candidates and referendums on the ballot.
—Miami Herald Staff, Miami Herald, 5 Nov. 2025
Lilly Kersh, Dallas Morning News, 9 Jan. 2026
In response, states such as Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Arkansas, and Wyoming enacted legislation that would expressly prohibit foreign funds from being spent on domestic ballot referendums.
—Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 1 Jan. 2026
Joel Hand, a lobbyist for the Indiana Coalition for Public Education, said that generally small rural school districts have the hardest time passing referendums, when taxpayers are strained the most, and suburban school districts have the greatest success.
—Caroline Beck, IndyStar, 26 Dec. 2025
In Janesville, voters are trying to require referendums for data centers.
—Tom Kertscher, jsonline.com, 19 Dec. 2025
Those referendums have been widely criticized as sham votes by the international community.
—Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 5 Dec. 2025
Every four years since then, people write pieces just like this one about how midterms are not the place for bold visions for governance but rather referendums on the party in power.
—Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 5 Dec. 2025
Voters approved similar referendums in 2018, 2012 and 2006.
—Imani Cruzen, Twin Cities, 3 Dec. 2025
Voters in Hialeah, Homestead, Miami, Miami Beach and Surfside all had candidates and referendums on the ballot.
—Miami Herald Staff, Miami Herald, 5 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for referenda
Noun
-
But by the time commissioners cast their final budget votes in September, the mayor and commission had rolled back most of the austerity measures with a mix of one-time revenues and other stopgap measures.—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Republicans are also mulling a potential second tax bill that could be passed with just party line votes while confronting the possibility of a potential partial government shutdown at the end of the month.—
Seung Min Kim,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The change could prove a stumbling block for people who need to ensure that mail such as bill payments, taxes or voting ballots are postmarked by specific dates.—
Aimee Picchi,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
-
That transformation has shown up on ballots.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Referenda.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/referenda. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
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