Initiatives and referendums in the District of Columbia


There is a defined process for initiatives and referendums in the District of Columbia. The process is laid out in the D.C. Code. If an initiative receives enough signatures, is put on the ballot, and is approved by voters, it then must go through a 30-day review by the United States Congress.
The D.C. Council also has the power to reverse voter-approved initiatives, as it did in 2001 regarding term limits and in 2019 regarding the tipped minimum wage.
Voter-approved initiatives include Initiative 59, Initiative 71, and Initiative 77.
Many initiatives do not end up on the ballot.