CALIFORNIANS FOR DEMOCRACY PETITION SCRIPT & FAQs – Read before circulating the petition review each time.
When you ask someone to sign the petition, please keep it short and simple. This is a suggested script to help you stay on message and guide you through the process. When approaching voters, you can walk next to them for a couple of steps or stay in place, but please never stand in front of them blocking their way. Look for places where people are waiting and have a moment to hear what you have to say and are not rushed.
Suggestions on how to engage the voter:
Are you registered to vote in California?
If YES, ask:
Are you worried about the fact that our state can't keep our parks and schools open? [Alternate concerns might be failure to pass a budget on time or economic state of California government. You should experiment to see what works best for your audience. If people are in a rush, ask the lead question first, and then ask about registration.]
If YES, ask:
Would you PLEASE sign a petition to restore Democracy to California's budget process?
If YES, state
This petition is to put an initiative on the ballot in November 2010. It states that All Legislative Actions on Budget and Revenue Must Be Determined by a Majority Vote (point to those words). [Hand him/her the petition and allow time for him/her to read through it.]. At this point, you need to ask what County they are registered to vote in. Before they sign, say “Please print legibly or your signature won’t count.”
If voter is unsure about signing, based on their response, you can engage them on issues they are concerned about. Slowly work whatever they (the people who have stopped to talk to you) are talking about back to telling them about how undemocratic the system we have right now is. Ultimately point out how the majority of Californians are sending their legislators to Sacramento, and their will is being blocked by a small minority of legislators. Our legislature cannot get things done and it is hurting California.
Have a flyer or something with the web address to hand the cautious types.
IMPORTANT: You may not make any claims about the initiative that are false or misleading. For instance, you MAY NOT state that the initiative will keep parks and schools open. You can only say that this will restore a majority vote of the legislature on budget and revenue and that a little more than 1/3 of our legislature will no longer be able to block the budget and create gridlock.
If they don't want to sign or are still unsure, state: "Well, this is just to get it on the ballot; you wouldn't necessarily have to vote for it, but can you help us get it out there for Californians to decide?" If they say no at any point, thank them for their time and move on to the next person.
FAQs
What is the first thing I need to do when having someone sign the petition? The first thing you need to do is ask the person the County in which he or she is registered to vote. People registered to vote in different counties cannot sign the same sheet. For example, someone registered in Los AngelesCounty cannot sign the same sheet as someone registered in OrangeCounty.
What is the official name of the initiative? The California Democracy Act
Who is the author and sponsor of the initiative? Professor George Lakoff is the author of the initiative. The organizational sponsor is Californians for Democracy. Endorsing organizations include the Consumer Federation of California and the California Council of Churches.
What should I write on the petition form? First, you should write the name of the County for the signers of that sheet. Write the County name in the blank space of Line 12, after the words "We, the undersigned, registered, qualified voters of California, residents of …" Please remember to fill that out for each sheet, and make sure it is in your own handwriting (i.e., not photocopied).
Can I abbreviate when filling in the name of the County? No. The name of the County must be written on every petition form, and it should be written out fully every time. For example, it should read "Santa Barbara" not "S.B." If the County name is abbreviated in that space, the signatures on that form may be invalidated.
What if the voter does not know in which County he or she is registered to vote? Feel free to ask the voter what city he or she is registered to vote in. If you know for sure that the city is within a particular County, then have them sign a sheet for that County. If you are not absolutely sure, then have him or her fill out a separate sheet that nobody else will sign. When you are done collecting signatures that day, go to a computer with an Internet connection and search for the County by entering in either the City name or the zip code.
What if I realize, after the fact, that someone from a "different" County has signed the same sheet as people from another County? Cross out the incorrect signature (the one that's from a different County than the other signatures on that sheet) and turn in the sheet anyway. As long as any problem signatures are crossed out, the rest of the signatures on that sheet will be accepted.
What information is required in the signature section? The voter must print his or her name, print his or her residential address (no P.O. boxes or work addresses), and then sign the petition. They must print their whole address, including the street address (street name and number), city and zip code. It is unnecessary to write the state because, by definition, only California voters can sign the petition. The voter (not you) must write this information, but you have to witness the person filling out the information. Don’t forget to ask them to print legibly. If the information is not legible, it won't be counted. If the voter's printing is illegible, cross it out and ask them to print it again in a new space.
Do I have to watch every signer physically write the signatures I collect? Yes. Per state law, you must watch each registered voter sign your forms in person. Do not leave petitions unattended at a table, do not pass them across the room and do not hand them off to another person you may know.
Where is signature gathering allowed? You can gather signatures in any public place, including sidewalks, parks, beaches, street fairs, farmer’s markets, etc, or in any private location whose owner gives you permission. You want to be able to talk to as many people in quick succession as possible, so find places where there's a crowd or a steady stream of pedestrians. Before and after appropriate public events are excellent sites. If you collect signatures outside a store, remain 10 to 12 feet from the door, approach customers only as they exit, and do not block their way. Keep a clipboard in your car for opportune moments.
What if someone asks me to leave the location I've chosen? If you are on private property and the owner asks you to relocate, go ahead and move to a new spot. Even if it is a close call, the time it would take to sort things out isn't worth it when there are a million easy spots to gather signatures.
What do I need to have with me when I go out and collect signatures? You will need: (1) petition forms, (2) 14-inch clipboards (or something else sturdy to write on), and (3) pens (blue or black ink) (4) a legal-size manila envelope (or something else to hold completed forms), (5) a backpack (or something else to hold everything), (5) water (and maybe some snacks) for you to keep your energy up and avoid dehydration, (6) sunscreen (if you will be outdoors during the daytime) and (7) a copy of the Petition Circulator Form that you signed prior to circulating petitions (this form delineates California law on petition circulating, and it is essential that you re-read through it frequently.)
What do I do with the box labeled New Registration Number? Leave it blank. If you are willing to register new voters, we will provide separate instructions.
What dates do I put down in the Declaration section of the petition? The first date ("start month, day, year") is the date that you started getting signatures on that sheet. The second date ("end month, day, year") is the date that you stopped getting signatures on that sheet. The third date ("Executed on month, day, year") is the date that you signed the Declaration. This third date must be on or after the date that you finished gathering signatures (the end date). For all three dates, be sure to write out the entire date (month, day and year), including the spelled-out name of the month.
Can I sign the Declaration on a sheet ahead of time, before I've gathered signatures on that sheet?
No. In the Declaration, you are swearing that you witnessed each of the signatures being written, and there is no way for you to swear that you witnessed something that has not yet happened. So, you have to wait until after you've collected the signatures on a particular sheet before you fill out the Declaration on that sheet. Filling out the county name in advance, however, is a good idea to help keep track.
What else do I write in the Declaration section? At the top of the Declaration, print your full legal name. At the bottom of the Declaration, place your complete signature, which must include your complete first name and last name, as well as your middle name or middle initial. Note the last line before your signature requires the state. You might be out of town when you complete the declaration.
Can I write in the margins or blank areas of the petition? No. Do not write or mark anywhere on the petition except where required. You may use Postit arrow flags, but do not cover any text.
If I only have one or two signatures on a page, can I still send it in? Yes. Even if a sheet has only a single signature on it, that signature will still count. However, you may retain such sheets for completion the following week or weeks.
Can I fax in my completed petition forms or send in photocopies and keep the originals? No. We must submit the original forms, with original ink signatures. They cannot be faxes, scans or copies. Please mail completed forms once per week to the person who contacts you in your county or to Ellis Goldberg 237 Aptos PlaceDanville, CA 94526
When is the deadline?
All forms must be received by the coordinators by April 5.
Thank you for all of your tremendous help!