Which political reform allowed voters to remove elected officials from office before the end of their term?

• A. Direct Primary
• B. Initiative
• C. Referendum
• D. Recall

Answer: (D)

Recall is the process that lets voters remove an elected official before their term ends. It’s a direct democracy tool: citizens petition to place a recall on the ballot, and if enough signatures are gathered, a recall election is held. Voters then decide whether to keep or remove the official; if the official is removed, a replacement is chosen according to state rules. This reform surfaced during the Progressive Era to increase accountability and curb corruption by giving the electorate power to oust unfit leaders.

Direct Primary involves selecting party nominees, not removing officials. Initiative lets people propose new laws, while referendum allows voters to approve or reject laws already passed by the legislature. These shape laws or elections rather than remove officials, making recall the distinct method for midterm removal.