Initiative

In political science, the initiative is a means by which a petition can force a public vote on a proposed statute, constitutional/charter amendment, or ordinance.

Some well-known examples of initiatives are various ballot measures ("propositions") enacted by voters in California, notably Proposition 13 which was enacted in 1978 to limit real estate tax rates.

An initiative is usually distinguished from a referendum in that a referendum is submitted to voters by a vote of a legislature, while an initiative can be placed on the ballot in some jurisdictions by obtaining a sufficient number of signatures on a petition.

See also: recall, referendum

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The term is also used in games such as chess. In Role playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, initiative refers to the order in which characters take actions.