referenda

variants or referendums
plural of referendum
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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of referenda According to Elections Alberta, unofficial results for referendums with this many questions will be posted 48 hours after polls close. — Sheena Rossiter, NPR, 19 Oct. 2026 Two candidates are competing for the seat of outgoing Commissioner Ariel Fernandez, and there are a variety of city-specific referendums on the ballot, too. — Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2026 Voters in Charlotte also face six referendums, including three proposals that could amend the state constitution. — Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 16 Oct. 2026 A lot of it comes down to quantifying things at a local level to see what people want, and maybe even having referendums in certain places. — Nilay Patel, The Verge, 15 Oct. 2026 The referendums aimed at facilitating future Democratic gerrymanders in Maryland and New York could easily fail. — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026 For example, 929,000 votes were cast in the 2022 mayoral general election — meaning referendums need about 93,000 signatures to qualify for the ballot. — Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026 The vote was part of Sunday's latest round of Swiss referendums on local and national issues. — Arkansas Online, 28 Sep. 2026 Those economic pains could also affect the five tax and bond issue referendums on the fall ballot. — Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for referenda
Noun
  • Developers have lost similar votes this year in Florida, Virginia and North Carolina.
    — Adhum Carter Wolde-Lule, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Those ballots take longer to count than in-person votes, as officials need to deal with envelopes and verify signatures to make sure mail ballots are cast by the people they're supposed to be cast by.
    — Miles Parks, NPR, 19 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The secretary of state's office reported 188,667 in-person ballots Tuesday, an increase of about 40% over the first day in 2022.
    — Monique John, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Other top concerns included politicians interfering with the election and mail-in ballots getting lost, stolen or delayed.
    — Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Referenda.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/referenda. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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