A recall election (also called a recall referendum, recall petition or representative recall) is an event by which voters can remove an elected official from office through a referendum before that official's term has ended. Recalls appear in the constitution in ancient Athenian democracy. Even where they are legally available, recall elections are only commonly held in a small number of countries including Peru, Ecuador, Taiwan, and Japan. They are seen as the most rarely used form of direct democracy.
Many recall elections take place in years when elections do not normally happen, causing less people to turn up and vote. Media coverage can increase voter turnout.
