Abstract
Advisory ballot measures are a direct democracy tool that solicits voter opinions. Local election data from California are used to assess the practice and consider whether the advisory nature allows policymakers, as has been assumed, to treat the voting outcomes as nonbinding. In California, the advisory ballot measure is generally binding for elected officials while allowing limited discretion in compliance with voter preferences. Purposes include solicitation of policy guidance, directing the use of new revenues, and signaling public sentiment to higher-level governments. The results provide empirical insight into how governments respond to public participation in policy and management decisions.
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