你今天去公民投票了嗎？你是否知道，在台灣我們所熟悉的「公投制度」，其實在美國憲法中並沒有設置全國性公投的機制？在美國，公投主要發生在州與地方層級，其頻率則取決於各州憲法與法律的規定。
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「公投」一詞的起源
The word referendum comes from Latin, meaning “something to be carried back.” It derives from the verb referre (to carry back, to report). In political usage, a referendum is a direct vote in which the electorate decides on a proposal, law, or constitutional change.
「公（民）投（票）」(referendum) 一詞來自拉丁文，意為「需要回報的事項」。該詞源自拉丁動詞 referre（帶回、報告）。在政治語境中，公投指的是全民直接投票，對某項提案、法律或憲法修改進行表決。
公民投票制度的起源
The modern referendum system first appeared in Switzerland in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Beginning in the 1790s, Switzerland adopted constitutional referendums at the cantonal level and later introduced the federal referendum system in 1848 with its new constitution. The Swiss pioneered both mandatory referendums (required for constitutional amendments) and optional referendums (triggered by citizen petition), making Switzerland the leading and most extensive practitioner of direct democracy.
現代公投制度最早於18世紀末至19世紀初出現在瑞士。瑞士自1790年代起在各州層級採用憲法公投，並於1848年新憲法中引入聯邦公投制度。瑞士發展出強制性公投（憲法修改必須舉行）與選擇性公投（由公民請願觸發）兩種形式，因此成為直接民主制度的先驅與最廣泛的使用者。
西方各國的公投實踐差異
① 常用者 Common users
Switzerland remains the most frequent user, followed by Ireland (where constitutional amendments must go through referendums). Australia also uses referendums for constitutional changes, though less frequently.
瑞士仍是使用最頻繁的國家，其次是愛爾蘭（憲法修正案須經公投）。澳洲在憲法變更時也會舉行公投，但頻率較低。
② 偶爾使用者 Occasional users
The United Kingdom has held several high-profile referendums (such as Brexit in 2016). France has also used them periodically. In the U.S., some states employ ballot initiatives and referendums at the state level.
英國曾舉行過多次重大公投（包括2016年的脫歐公投），法國則定期使用公投；美國部分州在州級層面採用公投與「公民提案」制度。
In the United States, there is no provision for national-level referendums in the Constitution. This means the federal government cannot hold a nationwide referendum the way Switzerland or the U.K. can.
在美國憲法中並沒有設置全國性公投的機制。這表示美國聯邦政府無法像瑞士或英國那樣舉行全國公投。
Instead, referendums are conducted at the state and local levels, and their frequency varies by state constitution and laws:
取而代之的是，公投主要發生在州與地方層級，其頻率則依各州憲法與法律而定：
- State level 州層級：Many U.S. states, especially in the West (e.g., California, Oregon, Colorado), allow referendums and ballot initiatives. These often appear during general elections (every 2–4 years), sometimes involving major issues such as taxes, education, abortion rights, or marijuana legalization. 許多美國州份，特別是西部州（如加州、奧勒岡州、科羅拉多州），允許公投與「公民提案」。這些議題通常會在大選期間（每2至4年）出現，有時涉及重大問題，例如稅收、教育、墮胎權或大麻合法化。
- Local level 地方層級：Cities and counties also sometimes hold referendums on local matters, such as school funding, zoning, or infrastructure projects. 城市與郡縣也可能舉行公投，通常針對學校經費、土地使用或基礎建設等地方事務。
③ 有限使用者 Limited users
Germany, Canada, and most EU countries use referendums sparingly, often viewing them as exceptional rather than routine tools of governance.
德國、加拿大和大多數歐盟國家較少使用公投，通常視其為例外而非常規的治理工具。
總結 Conclusion
While referendums exist in most Western democracies, their frequency and significance vary considerably. Switzerland stands out as the exceptional case for its extensive use of direct democratic mechanisms.
雖然大多數西方民主國家都設有公投制度，但其使用頻率與重要性差異極大；瑞士則是最顯著的例外，因為它廣泛運用直接民主的機制。
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參考資料來源
https://tidsskrift.dk/scandinavian_political_studies/article/download/32966/31381?inline=1
