Petitioning Do's and Don'ts

Helpful tips for successful petitioning from Howie Hawkins, Onondaga County Green Party. Video of Howie giving petitioning pointers.

Designating Petitioning Script

Suggested responses to questions commonly asked of designating petitioners.

Independent Petitioning Script

Suggested responses to questions commonly asked of independent petitioners.

How to Petition

The rules for how to petition apply to both designating petitions and independent nominating petitions. The petitioning is done at different times as set forth on the current political calendar, and the number of signatures required is different for the two types of petitions. The number of signatures required on petitions is different for the two types of petitions, and for ballot-status parties, depends upon the enrollment in the party. Click here for the number of signatures required on designating petitions and independent nominating petitions. Sample designating petitions may be downloaded from the Steuben County Board of Elections website at http://www.steubencony.org/pages.asp?PID=66.

1. How to Gather Signatures on a Petition

A. General Info on Collecting Signatures

Only use black or dark blue ink pens. Pencils CANNOT be used.

Do not use ditto marks.

If you are witnessing a petition, you personally must see EVERY signature on your sheet as it is signed.

You cannot witness your own signature. Make sure you sign a petition witnessed by another registered voter in the district!

B. Filling Out the Witness Statement

When you start a new petition sheet, print your name in the first blank "I (name of witness) ..................." of the witness statement. Make sure it is legible and is the exact name you are registered with at the Board of Elections. Include your middle initial if that is the way you are registered.

ONLY PRINT YOUR NAME. DO NOT COMPLETE OR SIGN THE REST OF THE WITNESS STATEMENT. ERRORS IN THE COMPLETION OF THE WITNESS STATEMENT INVALIDATE THE ENTIRE SHEET.

You will fill out the rest of the statement and sign it once the sheet is completed and checked over.

C. Date All Signatures

Always put the day's date in the signature line. This is to prevent signers from accidentally putting in the wrong date. Spell out the date, i.e., July 23, 2010 (note that the 2010 is already filled in for you). This prevents confusion.

It's best to start a new sheet for each day so that the dates don't get confused.

D. Must Have Signature

The signature is the only part of the petition the signer must complete for him or herself.

E. Name and Address

Make sure each signer PRINTS his or her name and address LEGIBLY so that the signature can be verified on the voter registration lists. The signer's name and address may be completed by the petitioner. Ask the signer for the information.

The name and address should match the name and address registered with the Board of Elections. For example, someone who goes by Bobby may be registered as Robert. If they're not sure how they're registered, ask them to use their name the way it appears on their checks.

Initials and customary abbreviations of names are permitted if the voter can be identified from the Board of Elections registration records.

The zipcode is not necessary in the address, and neither is an apartment number or floor. Customary abbreviations of street addresses (e.g., St., Ave.) are permitted if the abbreviation is commonly understandable. P.O. Boxes can only be used if that is the address that the person is registered under AND SHOULD BE AVOIDED. Always try to get the street address.

F. What Types of Corrections You Can Make and How

You CANNOT make any changes to someone's signature.

Minor corrections to addresses must be neat and legible, and do not have to be initialed by the witness.

Corrections to the date should be avoided, but if necessary (the person has left), correct neatly and initial.

Inversion of the printed name and signature (a common error) can be initialed.

If you or the signer make a serious mistake (wrong date, wrong address, etc.), YOU must cross the entire line out. Draw a single line completely through the mistake and initial at both ends of the line. Have the voter sign again on the next line.

If signature lines are skipped, neatly cross out the lines that were skipped. It is not necessary to cross out the unused lines after the last signature on the page.

G. Sheet Number

DO NOT FILL OUT THE SHEET NUMBER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. This will be done later when the sheets are prepared for binding.

2. Who Can Sign a Petition?

Only an enrolled party member may sign a designating petition for a candidate in that party. Independent nominating petitions for Green Party candidates may be signed by any registered voter who lives and is registered to vote in the district in which the candidate is running. Party registration does not matter.

However, someone who has already signed another petition for the same office MAY NOT sign a petition.

3. Who Can Witness a Petition?

Only an enrolled party member may witness a designating petition for a candidate in that party. Anyone who is a registered voter in the State of New York may witness an independent nominating petition

However, someone who has already signed a petition for another candidate for the same office MAY NOT witness a petition.

The New York Election Law was amended by the state legislature in 2009 to conform with the decision and order entered by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York in Chou v. New York State Board of Elections, 332 F. Supp. 2d 510 (2004), which held that the requirement that the witness to an independent nominating petition be a resident of the political subdivision wherein the candidate is seeking election is unconstitutional.

4. What to Do with Completed Petitions?

Keep your petitions in a safe, dry place. Return them as soon as possible to the candidate named on the petition. The candidate's name and address are printed on the petition.

Completed petitions should be "cleaned" by comparing the signatures with the lists of registered voters and correcting the printed names and addresses for errors before they are bound and submitted to the Board of Elections. Contact the candidate to set up a time to clean your petitions towards the end of the petitioning period. Let the candidate know when you will be available to clean your petitions.

DO NOT FILL OUT THE NUMBER OF SIGNATURES COLLECTED or SIGN the witness statement until the signatures have been cleaned. Errors will invalidate the entire sheet.

Petitioning Guidelines in RTF document.

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