What is the term used for the process by which voters can propose legislation?

The term used for the process by which voters can propose legislation is "initiative." This process allows citizens to gather signatures to place a proposed law on the ballot for a direct vote by the electorate. If enough valid signatures are collected, the proposed legislation can be submitted to a vote during an election, enabling voters to directly influence lawmaking.

In contrast, a referendum involves voters being asked to either approve or reject a law that has already been passed by the legislature. Legislation is a broader term referring to the act of creating laws, but it does not specifically pertain to voter-driven proposals. A plebiscite often refers to a direct vote in which an entire electorate is invited to vote on a particular proposal and may or may not relate to legislative changes. Therefore, the initiative is the correct term for the process that empowers voters to propose new laws directly.