plebiscite
n
(politics 政) (decision made by a) direct vote by all qualified citizens on an important political matter 公民投票(的表决)
A plebiscite was held to decide the fate of the country. 举行了公民投票以决定国家的命运.
The question of which state the minority group should belong to was decided by
(a) plebiscite. 该少数民族应归属哪一州的问题已由公民投票表决. Cf 参看 referendum.