TIPS FOR PETITIONING
GETTING READY
1 Obtain voter registration cards and mail ballot cards from your local county elections office.
2 Clipboards allow more mobility than tables. On the back, I tape (2" clear box tape) a piece of heavy paper or light cardboard that covers about half of the board. This makes a pocket for the voter cards and a handout. I also write, in large letters, what we are petitioning for. This time I wrote " GREEN PARTY BALLOT ACCESS" and I hold it so people walking by can see it. I have a pen in my hand and extra forms in my shoulder bag. Put a blank piece of paper behind your petitions, with name, address, phone and email at the top. This is for people who might want to join your group.
3 Tabling gives you room for more stuff and you can sit down. If you want to table in front of a store, be sure to get permission first, in advance if possible. Some stores have special rules and forms to fill out, and some managers have to ask permission from their district offices. If they allow you to table, be sure to locate your table away from the doors. Large stores are getting less and less co-operative.
4 Door to door will allow you to target house districts that you need to qualify for ballot access. Take clipboards (see #2)
5 A small handout is always good. I am including one that I made, which is one third of a sheet of paper. It has the 10 Key Values on one side, and a short questionnaire and contact information on the other.
CUSTOMER RELATIONS
1 Smile; be polite and friendly. Always thank them for their signatures.
2 Ask if they are registered voters. If not, offer them a voter registration card and a vote by mail card. This year the vote by mail cards include a box to check if they want it permanently. This is a great option for disabled, elderly and people who just like the convenience. If they want to fill out the voter registration card and have you turn it in, that’s fine. They can go ahead and sign the petition. Turn in voter cards at least a week before the petition, so the election workers have time to process them first.
FILLING OUT THE FORMS AND TURNING THEM IN
1 Only one county is allowed on each petition sheet.
2 You can take signatures from people who live in counties other than your own. Just make a separate sheet for that county, and mail it to the correct county election office at the end of petitioning.
3 Before turning in petitions, make copies. That way you will have a back-up if the elections people lose any of the petitions.
4 When turning in petitions, you may have up to 25 petitions with one affidavit. The affidavit must be notarized. This service is offered free at county courthouses for petitions. You must sign your name in front of the notary and show ID. Then turn the forms in to the elections office. Keep the receipt they give you with your copies of the petitions.
GOOD LOCATIONS
1 Farmers markets, grocery stores (get permission), libraries (get permission to be inside).
2 In front of grocery stores if you can get permission.
3 All sidewalks are public property, so you can petition on the sidewalk in front of businesses.
4 Meetings you usually go to.
__________________________________________
Date on which the first signature was gathered
__________________________________________
Signature of petition signature gatherer
__________________________________________
Address of petition signature gatherer
__________________________________________
City, state and zip code
STATE OF MONTANA )
County of ________________ )
Subscribed and sworn to before me this ________ day of __________________, 20_______.
_____________________________________________________
Signature of notary public or other person authorized to take oaths
________________________________________________________________________
Typed, stamped, or printed name of notary public or other person authorized to take oaths
Notary Public for the State of Montana
Residing at_________________________________
(city or town of residence)
My Commission Expires_____________________, 20________
SEAL
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Determination of Number of Signatures Required for Politcal Party Primary Access
House.....Votes By...5%per district for successful
District...HD........Gubernatorial candidate (or 150 if 150
.....................is less than 5%,13-10-601 MCA
.....................Must collect at least the
.....................minimum in 34 House Districts
1 1670 84
2 1616 81
3 1720 86
4 2558 128
5 1788 90
6 1985 100
7 1523 77
8 1834 92
9 2153 108
10 1881 95
11 2150 108
12 2066 104
13 1919 96
14 2146 108
15 2004 101
16 2162 109
17 1952 98
18 2315 116
19 2253 113
20 2042 103
21 2305 116
22 1959 98
23 1885 95
24 1176 59
25 2604 131
26 2120 106
27 1980 99
28 1888 95
29 1815 91
30 1909 96
31 2144 108
32 2014 101
33 2043 103
34 1875 94
35 2367 119
36 2195 110
37 1653 83
38 2116 106
39 1691 85
40 1903 96
41 1468 74
42 1821 92
43 2288 115
44 2146 108
45 1775 89
46 2378 119
47 2385 120
48 2162 109
49 2129 107
50 2464 124
51 2007 101
52 2311 116
53 2240 112
54 1845 93
55 2628 132
56 2767 139
57 2609 131
58 2466 124
59 2440 122
60 1919 96
61 2046 103
62 2386 120
63 3017 150*
64 2849 143
65 2146 108
66 2884 145
67 1921 97
68 2062 104
69 1884 95
70 2538 127
71 1960 98
72 1638 82
73 2748 138
74 3140 150*
75 2925 147
76 2348 118
77 2528 127
78 2058 103
79 2658 133
80 2520 126
81 2807 141
82 2610 131
83 1867 94
84 1990 100
85 1843 93
86 2837 142
87 1981 100
88 2204 111
89 2227 112
90 2363 119
91 2405 121
92 3421 150*
93 3631 150*
94 3432 150*
95 3154 150*
96 2684 135
97 3309 150*
98 2768 139
99 3465 150*
100 2135 107
Total 225016 5000 signatures total**
(**5000 signatures is less
than 5% of the total cast
for the successful candidate
for governor, 13-10-601,MCA