How does a referendum defer from an election?(5marks)
Elections and Referendums are commonly mistaken for being distinctively similar, but in fact they have many differences, for example; An Election is an official decision making process by which citizens vote for an individual to hold public office whereas a referendum is a direct vote in which voters are asked to agree/disagree with a particular proposition. A referendum is seen as a form of direct democracy; the electorates influence the decision being made, although referendums are not legally binding
In an election, you vote for a party or a candidate where your choice would be based on a number of issues where as in a referendum you vote on an issue and is based on one issue. Secondly an election is a form of representative democracy wherever a referendum is just one issue.
Thirdly an election is always mandatory as it is deciding who holds the power however a referendum can be both advisory and mandatory as it is influencing those already in power. On the other hand in an election you form government because it is a method of filing office where as referendum only has the power to influence those in power.
Referendums can be held on a local, regional or national level. Elections however are held consecutively every 4 years, this emphasizes the representation of direct democracy as the citizens have little say, unlike referendums, which are usually held at the peak of a public