People stand in line to vote in Boise, Idaho, on November 3, 2026.
Sarah A. Miller / Keystone
As Americans headed to the polls for the midterm elections, voters in several states were asked to decide on a series of referendums. In states where direct democratic rights were on the ballot, citizens largely voted to protect them, offering an encouraging sign for democracy.
Idaho is so reliably Republican that no Democrat even contested the Senate election on November 3, 2026. The independent candidate backed by Democrats stood little chance. Despite the national “blue wave”, the Republican incumbent comfortably retained the seat. In Idaho’s House of Representatives, the Democrats did at least manage to win a few seats in Idaho’s House of Representatives.
Yet this attracted little attention. Instead, referendums dominated coverage during the midterms in Idaho. The small western state made international headlines after voters chose an official state firearm in a (non-binding) vote. The Winchester Model 1873 received the most votes. Meanwhile, feminists expressed disappointment and outrage after a referendum to legalise abortion failed to secure majority support.
US citizens defend direct democracy
From a Swiss direct democracy perspective, however, another referendum stands out. The Idaho government sought to restrict citizens’ rights but was rebuffed. Specifically, it attempted to undermine direct democracy in drug policy. House Joint Resolution 4 would have prevented popular initiatives seeking to decriminalise cannabis or other psychedelic drugs. The handling of illegal drugs would have been left exclusively to the legislature.
Direct democracy has long played a small but significant role in Idaho’s political history. Between 1892 and 2025, Idaho voters decided 38 citizen-initiated measures.
Idaho was not an isolated case. Across the country, Americans voted in favour of direct democracy. In North Dakota, South Dakota and Utah, proposals to raise approval thresholds for referendums were rejected. These proposals would have required a 60% approval threshold for referendums in future instead of a simple majority. In Missouri, a majority voted to protect direct democracy. In future, the state’s legislative chambers will have little scope to restrict direct democratic rights. In Montana, the process of direct democracy is now also more strongly protected.
In California, it remains it to be seen whether citizens’ initiatives on tax issues at local level will face higher hurdles in future.
>>Read also our article on the history of direct democracy in the US:
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Autocracy and Trump
These results are, of course, linked to the “blue wave” of support for the Democrats. In Idaho, as almost everywhere else, Republicans lost vote share. Yet support for direct democracy cannot be explained by this alone. More than 66% of Idaho voters, including many Republicans, opposed restrictions on citizens’ rights.
International observers such as the V-Dem InstituteExternal link have noted a massive erosion of democracy and growing autocratic tendencies within the US government. Against that backdrop, the willingness of so many Republican voters to defend direct democracy gives cause for optimism.
Direct democracy in the US can also foster a more bipartisan approach to politics and involves minority groups. A 2021 Swiss study found that citizens initiatives are used often when the ideological divide is particularly deep and where gerrymandering most distorts political representation. Direct democratic rights can therefore help offset institutional balances. Republicans make active use of citizens’ rights in California, while Democrats do so in places such as Idaho, including the recent unsuccessful abortion referendum.
A similar balancing mechanism shapes Swiss politics at federal level and contributes to the country’s long-term political stability. Although many US states have direct democratic instruments, there are no national referendums.
>>Take a look at our article explaining how direct democracy works in Switzerland:
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How Swiss direct democracy works
Edited by Giannis Mavris/translated from German, sub-edited by Simon Bradley
