ARTICLES

Finally, the petitions are here!

Please go to website for more information:

www.ParentsRight2Know.org

The Parents' Right to Know and Child Protection initiative will require an abortionist to contact at least one of the parents or the guardian of an under-18-year-old girl at least 48 hours before aborting the girl's baby.

This ballot initiative needs 598,105 valid signatures of registered California voters gathered within 150 days to qualify for the next California general election.

Because wrong addresses and other errors invalidate many signatures, about 800,000 total signatures must be collected to ensure qualification. Some of the 150 days are taken up in printing and distributing petitions and in collecting and sorting them for submission in each county.

We must collect about 50,000 signatures per week for about 16 weeks. This means that we must use both volunteer and professional signature gatherers to ensure success.

Several major donors have guaranteed resources to make sure that the initiative will qualify. But donations are still much needed for gathering the 800,000 signatures to get Parents' Right to Know on the ballot and then to win approval at the next election.

You may not able to go out and collect large numbers of signatures yourself, but you can make a donation so others can collect signatures on your behalf. Please be as generous as possible. Your gifts will be used only to gather signatures and to campaign for the Parents' Right to Know Initiative.

• Signatures on the petitions will be valid only if the signers are registered to vote in California or if they register or re-register to vote when they sign petition.

• To collect signatures, you must be eligible to register to vote in California. (You must be at least 18 years old and a U. S. citizen).

• Each petition-signer must PRINT in black or blue ink his/her name and the residence address where he/she is registered to vote. They must also SIGN (not print) their signature.

• None of the signatures on a petition sheet will be valid for qualifying the initiative unless you, the signature gatherer, completely fill in, date, and sign the Declaration of Circulator at the bottom of each such petition sheet.

• Each petition sheet is good for ONLY ONE COUNTY. If you gather signatures from voters registered in different counties, use a separate petition sheet for each county.

• Experience shows that the best places and times are where there is heavy foot traffic — main streets and busy street corners during business and lunch hours, around post offices, courthouses, coffee shops and fast food restaurants, convenience stores and gas stations, shopping malls, and supermarkets. Also, where there are gatherings of sympathetic people — churches, clubs, fairs, forums, meetings, parades, picnics, rallies, etc.

• Start with a one-liner, "Could you help get the Parents' Right to Know Initiative on the ballot?"

• Your goal is to get many signatures, not to argue, convince, or educate. Give a flyer or a fresh, unused petition sheet to anyone who wants to know more, but do not use your signature-gathering time to argue or exhort.

• Never leave any signed petitions unattended. They are valuable!

• If signers are not sure of their voter registration, help them to fill out a voter registration card to ensure their signature on the petition will be valid.

• Always have voter registration forms and help signers unsure of their voter registration fill one out to register or re-register. (Voter registration forms can be obtained free at post offices, county offices and courthouses, city halls, and public libraries.) Keep the filled-out registration form, give the tear-off receipt to the voter, and promptly mail the form in.

On the Petition Turn-In Sheet, you may choose:

1.) Not to accept pay and to donate the signatures you gather to the campaign. (This will help us save money to gather more signatures and for use in the election campaign.

2.) To designate donation to a church or charity (be sure to include name and address of whomever you designate, and your name, address, phone, and social security number)

3.) To ask to be paid the money yourself. Be sure to include your name, address, phone, and social security number.

• Always turn in signed petition sheets AS SOON AS POSSIBLE — even if not all the signature blanks are filled in. Be sure you complete and sign the Declaration of Circulator at the bottom of every petition sheet.

• Once the required number of signatures or time deadlines are reached, no more payments will be made for signatures.

• You can mail, UPS, or deliver petitions, with a Petition Turn In Sheet to Life on the Ballot at any of these addresses:

    2555 Rio de Oro Way, Sacramento, CA 95826

    1942 Mountain Bl., Oakland, CA 94611

    1613 W. Garvey Ave. N., West Covina, CA 91790

    18417 Santa Alberta Circle, Fountain Valley, CA 92708

    1703 India St., San Diego, CA 92101

• Call toll-free:

    (866) 828-8355

or e-mail:

    Janet@ParentsRight2Know.org

and we will mail you petition sheets right away (se habla español).

• If you make your own copies be sure to copy both sides, front and back, of an original petition sheet, onto a single sheet of paper, legal size -- 8" x 14" -- otherwise, the signatures gathered on them will not be valid!!

or e-mail:

Janet@ParentsRight2Know.org

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