To put it simply, petitioning IS hard.
We don’t want to start this off by telling you that it’s easy to get someone’s signature on a petition – because it’s not. People are generally weary of signing their John Hancock on just any old form these days, and they’re especially weary of giving up any personal information to any political campaigns. They don’t want to be scammed or bombarded with political mailers. It’s just not that easy to get a signature.
However, petitioning is not rocket science either.
Key Constants for Successful Petitioning
Speaking from experience, the “easiest” and “hardest” petitioning campaigns we’ve worked on have had the same constants needed for success.
Legal Compliance and Informed Circulators
First, the circulators must follow all laws locally, as well as specific laws regarding petition circulation. Second, the circulators need to be informed entirely on the issue, its support and opposition. Lastly, the rules regarding the management and handling of the signatures must be followed thoroughly.
There is no hierarchy in the importance of these three points. They all must be executed to their fullest extent in order to have a successful petitioning campaign.
Adherence to Laws and Ethics
The easiest and most self-explanatory constant rule is that circulators need to follow all laws – both locally and regarding the petition itself. You’d think that goes without saying, but we’ve seen it all! We have seen circulators forge voters’ signatures before, lie about the content within the petition to someone who would not have otherwise supported/signed, and even lie during a notary session. Any of these violations are fully illegal as well as disqualify any valid signatures your team gathers.
Engaging with Voters
When trying to get signatures from voters, it is important that the circulator be fully informed on the issue. Some people may sign easily, but most people want to know what it is they’re supporting with their signature – and you’re not going to overcome that worry and get a signature while poorly informed.
Building Trust and Clarity
To get the signature, the circulator will want to seem trustworthy to the voter; informed. In order to do this, we like to ensure our team knows exactly what type of questions could be asked and also knows how to respond to them. It’s important to be clear and concise when starting the conversation asking for a signature, so that there is less room for confusion. Lay out all the facts regarding what they’ll be signing, and if there is any hesitation, let the questions begin flowing as the circulator answers them and helps the voter feel more comfortable in signing the petition.
Managing and Tracking Signatures
Once you have your signatures, you’re so close to being done! Word to the wise – do not manage them improperly; costing you to lose any. Make a plan and stick to it for every last signature. Cutting corners can, and probably will, blow back up in your face. Please take that from us!
Diligent Tracking and Verification
Track your signatures daily. Have your team send you proof of the numbers they’re reporting, or collect the sheets yourself each night to keep track of them.
Before submitting your petitions back to the campaign, double check your signatures in-hand back against your daily tracker. Did anyone lose a sheet somewhere? Who, where, when? Can that be found and turned in? Ensure that you actually have everything that you’ve tracked thus far prior to turning them in. You do not want the person you turn them into to call you later and tell you this, you should know this up front where you stand.
Final Steps and Notarization
It’s important to get final scans of each signature submitted. Scan every last page! This helps you know what it is that you turn in. If anyone has any questions regarding what was handed over, you’ll have the final scans to count/prove what was handed over.
If the petition requires a notary, ensure every petition has the notary filled out correctly and in its entirety. We have had petitions turned in after notarization that were thrown out because of something so small as a missing date in the notary section. Check every little line and be thorough!
Overcoming Challenges in Petitioning
These constant rules should help you to run a successful petitioning project. Again, it’s not the easiest thing in the world. However, the majority of issues that come up are due to the workforce either being uneducated on the topic, thus unable to close the deal and get a signature, or untrained and not knowing how to handle or care for such a sensitive type of project. If these issues can be overcome, the petition will be far easier to complete!
Take Your Petitioning to the Next Level
Ready to transform your petitioning efforts into a resounding success? It’s time to put these strategies into action with Patriot Grassroots. Whether you’re a seasoned campaigner or just starting out, every signature counts towards making a difference. Stay informed, stay compliant, and most importantly, stay committed to your cause.
