Which of the following sentences correctly describes a legislative referendum in a democratic political system?

Introduction / Context:
In some democratic systems, voters are given direct participation in law-making through tools such as initiatives and referendums. A “legislative referendum” is one such tool, where a measure passed by the legislature is submitted to the people for approval or rejection. This question checks your understanding of how a legislative referendum works compared to other forms of direct democracy like initiatives and advisory votes.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The focus is on the concept of a legislative referendum.
• Options refer to nonbinding measures, citizen-initiated proposals, petitions and voter approval of a legislative bill.
• We assume basic awareness of direct democracy mechanisms: initiative, referendum, petition and advisory vote.
• The correct option should match standard political science definitions.

Concept / Approach:
A legislative referendum typically occurs when the legislature itself decides to place a bill or constitutional amendment before the voters for ratification. The measure has been passed or proposed by the legislature but does not become law until the people approve it in a popular vote. This is different from a citizen-initiated referendum, where citizens themselves collect signatures to put a proposal on the ballot, and different from a nonbinding or advisory referendum, where the result is not legally binding. Therefore, the key element of a legislative referendum is that the legislature passes a measure which then requires voter approval.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that in a legislative referendum, the legislature initiates the measure, not the citizens. Step 2: Recognise that the measure is typically binding, meaning voter approval or rejection determines whether it becomes law. Step 3: Examine the options and identify the one that mentions a bill passed by the legislature that must be approved by voters. Step 4: Note that options about petitions and independent voter proposals describe citizen initiatives, not legislative referendums. Step 5: Select the statement that clearly describes legislative passage followed by a popular vote.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this understanding by recalling examples from countries or states that use legislative referendums. Often, constitutional amendments proposed by legislatures must be ratified by the people in a referendum. Political science texts clearly define a legislative referendum as a vote called by the legislature on a law or constitutional amendment it has drafted or passed. This matches the option describing a bill passed by the legislature and then sent to voters.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Voters approve a nonbinding measure that can be ignored: This describes an advisory or consultative referendum, not a legislative referendum, which is intended to be binding.
Voters approve or reject a proposal without any action by the legislature: This better describes a citizen-initiated referendum or initiative.

Voters sign a petition to gather support for an issue: This describes the petition stage of an initiative process, not the legislative referendum process.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often confuse different forms of direct democracy because they all involve citizens voting. A common error is to treat any vote by the people as the same type of process. The key is to focus on who initiates the measure (legislature or citizens) and whether the vote is binding or advisory. Remembering that a legislative referendum comes from the legislature and requires voter ratification helps distinguish it from initiatives and advisory referendums.

Final Answer:
A legislative referendum is best described by the statement that the legislature passes a bill that must be approved or rejected by voters through a popular vote.