How to Make an Effective Petition
Petitions can be a useful way to take civic action in inspiring positive change. They can garner attention for a certain cause, educate the public on the matter and show support for a specific side of the argument. In a nutshell, the petition is supposed to convince a higher authority that a significant amount of people are in favor of a certain course of action. It therefore must be well organized.
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Instructions
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Type up the petition. Handwritten documents are unprofessional and are very unlikely to be taken seriously.
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State the problem and the proposed solution at the top of the petition. Do not simply list a complaint, such as "We do not like the new traffic lights." Instead, identify both the problem and the suggested course of action that those who sign the petition will be requesting. This may be as much as a paragraph at the top of the page.
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Spell check and edit the document before allowing people to sign it. A petition with spelling errors or typos will appear unprofessional and may have little impact.
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Creates spaces for people to sign and have them include their address, phone number and comments. Asking people to include comments is extremely important because it proves to the authority receiving the petition that the person signing the document genuinely cares about the issue. Make sure there is enough room on each paper for them to write as much as they need, even if it means fitting less signatures on each page. Number each signature.
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Include the contact information of the person in charge of delivering the petition. This helps validate the petition to those signing it because they have a person they can call and ask concerning the results of the petition and the effect it has had. It also makes someone specifically responsible for delivering the document, which may help convince some people that it is worth signing.
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Deliver or mail the document to the individual or institutional body who has the direct power to fulfill the request of the petition. Sending it to a general address may mean it takes longer for it to reach the right person, or opens up the risk that it may never get there.
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References
Resources
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