Instructions for Petitioning

You can do this!

You are encouraged to try various ways of asking people to sign and find out what works best for you. That said, you can start with these recommendations.

When asking people to sign the petition, previous experiences have shown that keeping the request as short and straightforward as possible is best. “Hi there, could you sign our petition to help animals?” or “Hi there… just a quick signature to help animals?”

It is best to keep it short because when someone sees you, they don’t know what you are doing or what you are asking for. They might think you are asking for money or asking them to talk about something that will take a significant amount of time. By letting them know you're just asking for a quick signature, they will understand that you are not asking for much.

Some people will sign without further discussion, and others will want to know more about the legislation, providing an opportunity to explain the proposed legislation in greater detail. It is best to keep the explanation brief.

Introduce the City Council petition while they finish the official one, saying something like: “Thanks! While you’re here, would you also sign a second petition urging City Council to pass a companion ordinance?” The City Council petition isn’t an official ballot initiative petition, so voter registration isn’t necessary. Still try only to have residents sign it, though.

Read the next two sections for more tips about communicating with the public. Also, read the "About the Campaigns" section for some good talking points.