Critics point out that direct democracy votes are dominated by people who have strong feelings about the issue at hand, and as such, it empowers special interests. Supporters of the popular referendum point out that it is a safeguard against special interests taking over, and protects the rights of minorities. Specific details on the applicable procedure such as the number of signatures, whether there is a time limit and its duration on when the popular referendum may be passed, and the body to which they must be submitted vary from country to country, and in the United States from state to state. Depending on local legislation, the popular referendum may be implemented only in a short window of time after the legislation has been passed in others it may be used to defeat any existing legislation. As with an initiative, a popular referendum is held after a given number of signatures supporting it have been submitted to the authorities in some cases, such a referendum may also be initiated by regional authorities.

Unlike an initiative or legislative referendum that allows voters to suggest new legislation, a popular referendum allows them to suggest repealing existing legislation. A popular referendum, depending on jurisdiction also known as a citizens' veto, people's veto, veto referendum, citizen referendum, abrogative referendum, rejective referendum, suspensive referendum, and statute referendum, is a type of a referendum that provides a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a public vote ( plebiscite) on an existing statute, constitutional amendment, charter amendment, or ordinance in its minimal form, it simply obliges the executive or legislative bodies to consider the subject by submitting it to the order of the day.

Referendum by Campbell Hart