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Michigan Citizens for Life
Petitioning Instructions

(Click here for printer friendly version)

The best way to get lots of signatures is to ask lots of people. Always be cheerful.

It helps to have:
- Plenty of blank petitions to fill up and extras to give to people who agree to try to collect signatures also
- black, ball-point pens
- multiple cardboard clipboards (2-5)
- blank voter-registration/application forms for people
(This is 3 pages long and can be downloaded and printed from the Michigan Secretary of State website)
- a printed copy of the "Q&A" for you to refer to when people ask you questions
- copies of "Church Contact Information" to give to people who volunteer to collect signatures at their churches
- literature to distribute
- a flashlight, if working after sunset
- comfortable shoes/boots
- breath mints

It helps to go to:
- Areas where there are lots of people
- ball games, festivals, busy public sidewalks, parades, churches, crowded neighborhoods
- events where there will be pro-life people in attendance
- all of your friends and relatives

Call the MCFL office number if you have any free days, weekends, or evenings and need suggestions for key places or events to collect signatures at. Being at the right place for a few hours can mean one hundred signatures instead of just a few at the wrong place.

While petitioning out in public (instead of just having your family and friends sign) it helps to:

1. Download, print, and tape on the back of your clipboard the "PRO LIFE PETITION" sign from the website.
2. Smile and hold the sign up for people to read as they walk by you or you walk up to them.
3. Look people in the eyes and ask something like, "Hello Sir. Could you please help me with a quick ballot access signature? We are putting an initiative on the ballot defining a person as starting at conception."
4. If they ask any questions, show them the petition and point to the wording on the top. (On our website is a "Q & A" link to familiarize yourself with first.)
5. If they decline, say, "Okay." You can bless them or wish them a pleasant day, but please don't argue with people. If you have some time to go petitioning in public, and desire further training or coordination with other volunteers, please call us.

ONCE THEY AGREE TO SIGN:

1. Put a pen in their hand while asking, "Which Michigan County are you registered to vote in?"
   • If they are not eligible to vote (including those who won't be at least eighteen-years-old on Nov. 7, 2006), thank them for their willingness. Invite them to help by serving as a church contact and by delivering petitions to friends and relatives who are Michigan voters and asking them to circulate them.
   • If they are not registered to vote but are eligible, hand them a voter registration application. Have them fill it out and then sign the petition. You will be the one to mail the completed application in promptly.
   • If they no longer live at the address on their voter card, have them fill out the application and check the appropriate box for change of address.
2. Hand them the clipboard with their county page on top. If they are the first to sign from their county, have them sign on a blank page and then write the county name on the blank line near the top of the petition.
3. As they receive the clipboard, say, "Please fill in every box on your line just like your voter registration card reads."
4. While they sign, ask them if they would like to help circulate petitions among their friends, co-workers, and relatives. If yes:
   • Write their name, phone number, and e-mail address on a separate slip of paper.
   • Also ask them if they would be willing to donate a little time by helping to circulate petitions with others at events like the Friday night fish-fry, an upcoming dog-sled race, a ball game, the auction, at their church, etc. If yes, ask them if they ever have weekdays or weekends open to help circulate. Weekdays can be spent in front of busy courthouses, post offices (only on the public sidewalk next to the road), on public college campuses, or any place else where people walk by. If it is on private property, like a busy gas station or store, ask for permission first. Some big stores don't allow petitioners because of problems they have caused in the past. City or county coordinators will then call this list of volunteers to follow up on them and tell them of upcoming opportunities where volunteer petitioners are needed.
   • When they eventually stop saying yes, thank them and offer them a piece of literature. If they don't stop saying yes, hand them a clipboard with some blanks while they stand their petitioning next to you. Amen!
   • Quickly look to see that they have filled in every box on their line and that a street address or rural route number as they hand the clipboard back. If they haven't filled in every box, or if you see and error like a PO BOX, say, "I'm sorry, but the state is real picky. Could you please fill that in right there?" Or, "I'm sorry, but the State is real picky, could you please sign on the line underneath and fix that point there?"
   • You be the one to mail your petitions to the Lapeer PO BOX on the petition after you sign and complete the bottom portion as the circulator. Your signature and date at the bottom cannot be earlier than any of the dates above it.
   • No, there does not have to be fifteen signatures for you to be done. Every single signature from every county is greatly needed. Please mail them in promptly.
5. You may choose to mention that MCFL needs funds to purchase supplies and postage stamps. MCFL cannot accept cash. Checks and money orders are acceptable, but must be accompanied by the name, address, occupation, employer and employer's address of the donor. Have them send checks (with accompanying required information) to the P.O. Box in Lapeer.

Paid for with regulated funds by Michigan Citizens for Life
PO BOX 1090
Lapeer, Michigan 48446
(810)441-5309
MC4Life@safe-mail.net
www.MichiganCitizensForLife.net