Task D Five: Circulating Petitions

Petitions containing the name of not less than 15% of voters must be presented to the county commissioners unless that governing body chooses to initiate the district without requiring a petition. Get as many signatures as possible to avoid problems if some names are disqualified. More names also show support for the district.

Petition carriers should be active supporters for the library district. If possible ask for help from people who are property owners, have good standing in the community, and understand the issues. Hold a meeting where both the library issues and the petition process are explained to petition carriers.

Provide good written and oral instructions for petition carriers. Give the carriers these instructions to assure that the petitions will be correct and legal. Use the petition process as a public relations tool for the district.

Here are some tips and instructions for petition carriers:

Petition carriers must be registered voters within the proposed district.

Petition signers must be registered voters within the proposed district. If the signer isn't sure whether or not s/he is a registered voter, recommend s/he not sign the petition until s/he verifies his/her residency and voter registration.

Signers must include their entire address, city and zip code and length of residence.

Telephone numbers are optional. Carriers should explain this to signers and let signers know that the telephone numbers will only be used to remind the signer of the hearing and to vote at the election.

Petition carriers should sign their own petition on one of the signer's lines as well as making the notarized signature at the bottom of the petition.

Petition carriers should not allow a spouse to sign for the other spouse.

Petition carriers should not promise anything about tax levies. Refer questions about district financing to the Planning Group's financial committee.

Petition carriers should inform signers of the hearing process and ask them to attend.

Petition carriers must sign the bottom of the petition in the presence of a notary public and they must have their signature notarized. This is extremely important, asall names will be invalidated if the petition is not notarized. [See Decision Phase Form C: Petition for Election for the language required for validation of signatures.]

Turn in petitions by a certain date.

Have petition carriers turn in the petition to the district project coordinator or group rather than the county clerk. The petitions can then be checked for flaws, etc. before they are officially turned in.

Once you have presented the petition to the county clerk, s/he has 15 days to either reject the petition if it is insufficient or certify that the petition is sufficient.