Instructions for Signature Gathering and Tips

YES! On I-732
Carbon Washington
PO Box 85565, Seattle, WA 98145-1565, 360.704.0484, kyle@carbonwa.org
Dear Volunteer,
Thank you so much for your commitment to help place this important initiative on the November 2016
ballot. Please read the following information carefully before you begin gathering signatures.
DO THIS FIRST: To make sure all of your signatures are valid, please complete the Petitioner’s
Declaration on the back of each petition.
Guidelines for Signers
1. Anyone who signs a petition must be a registered Washington voter.
2. A petition signer must write their name and address as it appears on their voter registration card. They must
use their registered address even if they moved and are still registered at their old address.
3. A woman must sign her own name, not her husband's; for example, "Jane Doe" not "Mrs. John Doe".
4. A signer should use a street address instead of a P.O. Box address.
5. Have all signers use an ink pen, preferably black.
Guidelines for Petitioners
1. Anyone can gather signatures but they must complete the Petitioner’s Declaration.
2. Do not allow anyone to sign another person's name or to sign the petition more than once. If a person
cannot recall whether they have already signed the petition, ask them to go ahead and sign the petition.
3. If you encounter someone who wants to volunteer, please do not give them petitions directly. Instead, have
them fill out a volunteer card and return it with your petition.
4. Never make copies of the petitions. Any signatures on incorrectly copied petitions are invalid. The
Secretary of State has strict paper requirements. Signatures on unapproved paper will be invalid.
Returning Petition Sheets
1. Drop off at our office 1914 N. 34th Street #407, Seattle WA, 98125.
2. Mail to our ‘CarbonWA, PO Box 85565, Seattle WA 98145.
3. Email local staff to arrange a drop off (visit CarbonWA.org under ‘our team’ to find staff in your area)
Thank you for your dedication to this important campaign. We would not be able to succeed without the
commitment of volunteers like you. If you will be gathering signatures at public locations, please read our
“tried and true” signature gathering tips on the back of this page. Remember, our goal is for you to have fun
while gathering signatures so that your experience is enjoyable, satisfying, and empowering. We sincerely
appreciate your help. Do not hesitate to email or call us with any questions, to connect with others in your area, or
if you need any materials.
Our hats are off to you!
Sincerely,
The Campaign Staff
Authorized by Carbon Washington, PO Box 85565, Seattle, WA 98145-1565, 360.704.0484
Tried and True Signature Gathering Tips
How to Gather 25 or More Signatures an Hour
Tips on Being Efficient and Making the Most of Your Time
Be Prepared − Bring at least four cardboard clipboards, extra pens, rubber bands or clips, plenty of petitions and
some flyers (we can provide all of the above). Most seasoned signature gatherers like to be free roaming in order to
“work a crowd.” You can also use a card table or an ironing board as a platform for the petitions. Stand in front of
the table or ironing board to draw people over rather than sitting passively behind the table.
Be Quick – the guiding principle of effective signature gathering is to say as little as possible to get someone to
sign. Please don’t spend more that 30 seconds with one person. In three minutes you might convince someone to
sign; meanwhile you will have lost the signatures of all the supportive people who have passed you. We must now
use our valuable volunteer hours to gather signatures not to educate the public. Once we make the ballot, we will
conduct a well-orchestrated voter education campaign.
When someone is signing, don’t hover! This is the best time to attract other signers - try to use all of your
clipboards at once by drawing three to four signers. Here’s our suggested dialogue for signature gathering:
While holding the poster and maintaining eye contact, ask in a friendly manner:
Have you signed yet?
If they say yes ask if they signed recently to make sure they’re not confusing our effort with another. If they stop to
sign, immediately say:
Are you a registered Washington voter? Great.
If they are registered, hand them the clipboard, most people who accept the clipboard will sign (it’s called the
“assumptive sale”), then say:
This is a petition to bring clean energy to Washington. Please be sure to clearly write your registered name
and address.
Now STOP TALKING and keep gathering! Really. If they want more information you can say:
This initiative would impose a carbon tax on dirty energy and reduce the sales tax 1 percent, reduce taxes on
manufacturer businesses, and reduce taxes on low income families. Signing this just puts it on the ballot, so
the people of Washington can vote on it. .
If they have additional questions, give them a flyer and ask them to visit Carbonwa.org with any questions.
Explain that you’re running against a deadline and have to keep gathering. Also, when you’re talking to someone,
make sure your poster is visible to other potential signers.
Be friendly – Have fun, be friendly and always, always remain positive. This is the most important point to
remember! If someone is short with you, smile and walk away…ITS NOT YOUR FAULT IF SOMEONE IS
RUDE, they may just be having a bad day. Your friendly attitude is important for your own morale and for the
morale of other signature gatherers. If you make a conscious decision to have fun, you will, we promise!
An important note…
Base your success on the number of signatures you gather per hour, not on the number of people who pass you.
Most people walk by for a variety of reasons: They are not registered to vote, they are from out of town, they have
already signed, they don’t have time, or they’re just not in a great mood. That’s 100% OK…they might sign next
time. If you’re not gathering at least 25 signatures an hour, please re-read and follow our tips and/or try another
location..Thank you so much for your dedication to this important campaign.
Special thanks to © Active Roots Consulting Inc, www.ActiveRoots.biz for help producing this document