Green Party - Ballot Access Drive

The Idaho Green Party needs to collect 10,032 signatures from registered voters in Idaho by this summer so it can be recognized as an official party. This would allow Green Party candidates to run as "Greens," not just independents. This also would make the Idaho Green Party eligible for public party funding - you know that check-off box on your tax form that asks if you'd like $1 of your taxes to go to a political party? - the Idaho Green Party would get some of that. The Greens would also start having yearly conventions and holding their own primaries. Attaining official party status will bring the Idaho Green Party to a higher level of legitimacy that will make it easier to have an positive impact on local government - not just in terms of running candidates, but also in influencing legislation and policy.

Please take a moment to read The Importance of Ballot Access by Richard Winger for a comprehensive discussion of the ballot access issue and why you should support it, even if you're not a Green Party member.

The Idaho Green Party needs 10,032 signatures to attain official party status in Idaho. Please help us out by collecting signatures from your friends and family and anyone else you see often. Carry a blank sheet with you everywhere you go - you never know when you'll run into someone who hasn't signed our petition yet. To motivate you, we're holding a contest for the top three signature collectors by July 1, 2004. Winners get their choice of various prizes:

a copy of the Idaho Greentracks CD, autographed by Kristin Hersh and Rob Ahlers of 50 Foot Wave (who think the Green Party is cool!)
a 50-50 hemp/organic cotton Idaho Green Party T-shirt
a song composed and recorded in your honor by one of the Idaho Greentracks artists
free membership for a year
an exclusive collection of our political buttons (set of 10)
a platonic dinner "date" with a local Green Party activist
and more choices to be added!

Here are a few suggestions we have for ways to collect signatures. Take some blank sheets with you and ask people you talk to if they will sign when you:

go to work
go to class
go out socializing
go to rallies, parades, or fairs
go to concerts
go to family reunions, birthday parties, picnics
go to church
go shopping at local independently-owned businesses where you're a "regular"
go to the doctor or dentist, lawyer or counselor, hair stylist or masseuse/masseur

If each of our members collects just 40 signatures, we're there!

If you have any questions at all, or want us to mail you petition sheets, please contact Robert at 388-4549 (Boise) or ballot@idahogreenparty.org.

Idaho Green Party
Ballot Access Petition Package

This file contains the following information:

Official Petition Signature Sheet
Instructions on Filling Out Petition Sheets
Tips, Hints, and a Sample Script
Sample Registration Card
FAQ Sheet on Registering to Vote
The Idaho Green Party's Ten Key Values

Version 1.3, September 10, 2003

This document can be downloaded in the following formats:

Downloadable legal-size petition form is available here as JPEG (540K).

2. Instructions on Filling Out Petition Sheets
The "Notice of Affiliation of Electors as a Political Party" is the petition sheet that needs to be signed by registered voters. The signees (the people signing the petition) have to enter the following:

*Signature
*Printed name
*Address
*City
*Today's date

You must witness the signing, as you will swear to this in front of a notary when it is turned in.

When you have filled a petition sheet with signatures, make a copy as a backup (you never know what accidents can happen). Take the petition sheet (or sheets, depending on what your local Green Party chapter decides) to your county clerk. Fill out the bottom portion, (including your name, signature and the date), have the clerk or clerk's representative notarize the sheet, and turn the petition in.

Having backup photocopies will allow the Green Party to keep an accurate running count of signatures.

Please use copies of the form we have posted at the website. This may be downloaded from http://www.idahogreenparty.org/ballot.html or photocopied.

3. Tips, Hints, and a Sample Script
Obtaining ballot status is one of the goals of every state Green Party. Idaho Green Party members and volunteers should carefully prepare for the drive to insure a successful outcome.

One of the most effective methods of collecting required signatures in order to get on the state ballot, is to contact registered voters at home by going door-to-door. It is legal to knock on people's doors (even if they have a sign that says "No Soliciting") for political canvassing.

Prepare your materials on a clipboard. You will need several pens, the proper ballot-access petitions, a list of local registered voters, your local Green Party contact information, a few voter registration cards and the voter FAQ sheet, and the 10 Key Values pamphlet. Please dress appropriately. Wearing a "Smash the State" T-shirt may scare off potential petition signers. Wear a Green Party button if possible. Please conduct yourself in a professional and polite manner at all times. For safety's sake, use the buddy system or raise signatures in groups.

Spend an average of FIVE minutes at each household. The more households of registered voters you visit, the greater the Idaho Green Party's chances are of getting on the Idaho ballot.

SUGGESTED RAP: Hi, my name is Jane/John Doe, and I would like to ask you to sign a petition that would add the Idaho Green Party to the Idaho ballot. By signing you are not voting for the Green Party, you are saying that they can be on the Idaho ballot. Are you a registered voter?

*If NO, then say,

"Well, here is a voter registration card. It is very easy to register in Idaho, and if you do register, please consider signing our petition letting us on the Idaho ballot.

*If YES, then have them fill out a line on the ballot. Witness that they properly fill out the form. This is important! You may have to make suggestions to signers such as "Please use your full name," "Could you spell out ‘Avenue'?" "Use the address where you are registered to vote." These signatures will be checked, and whenever possible, we need to increase the overall validity rate of the signatures!

*Afterwards, say: "Thank you very much for taking time to do this. It is heartening to see citizens take an active role in Idaho politics."

THEN LEAVE AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT HOUSE.

People love to chat because they are interested in the Greens, because they are lonely or because they have an interest in seeing the ballot petition fail. If they are interested or have questions about the Idaho Green Party, say "Here is a pamphlet with the Idaho Green Party's 10 Key Values, and our local contact number. Please give us a call and show up to a meeting, where we can answer your questions! Thanks!"

REMEMBER IT IS ALL IN THE NUMBERS! 5 MINUTES A STOP!

If no one is at home, move on. Do not leave anything in the mailbox, as this is against post office rules.

If the person is threatening or "creepy," move on. Trust your instincts about people.

If someone invites you in for coffee or to chat, politely decline and move on. Once they have signed the petition or have declined to sign, move on. IT IS ALL IN THE NUMBERS. THE IDAHO GREEN PARTY NEEDS AS MANY SIGNATURES AS IT CAN GET.

Other Signature Venues:
Although the rate of invalid signatures will be greater, there are other places to find petition signers. Location is almost everything when it comes to petitioning. Pick high-traffic places and times and events that are likely to draw signatures. Here are some tried and true ideas:

*Libraries
*Post Offices (especially at lunch and before closing)
*Events, including outside concerts, fairs, and so on
*Clubs, outside public hospitals, public parks, outside
government buildings, conferences and so on
*Outside cafeterias, factories between shifts
*Universities
*Self-organized petition-signing events

Contact event organizers in advance to see if the Idaho Green Party can have a table inside the event, or even a speaker. If an Idaho Green Party speaker is allowed, be sure he or she mentions the ballot drive, and directs the audience to tables or petitioners.

Petitioning outside places such as Wal-Mart, the mall, or the local grocery store can be very productive. These places, however, are privately owned, and as such, the owners have the ability to kick petitioners off the property or call the police.

The best thing to do is to have a photocopy of any local ordinance that allows petitioning on public sidewalks, to show business owners in case there is a confrontation.

If there is a confrontation be aware of your rights and make a decision if you wish to continue the confrontation or leave immediately and petition elsewhere.

4. Sample Voter Registration Card

5. Frequently Asked Questions on Registering to Vote
The following information can be found at:
http://www.idsos.state.id.us/elect/voterreg/reg_faq.htm

Who needs to register?
Any eligible person who wishes to vote in Idaho and who has never voted here or who has changed name or address (even if you moved within the same neighborhood) since last registering needs to register.

How do I know if I'm eligible to vote?
You are eligible to vote if you:

* will be at least 18 years old on election day;
* are a citizen of the United States, and;
* have resided in Idaho and in the county for 30 days.

If you have been convicted of a felony and have completed your sentence and parole requirements, your right to vote is restored.

You are not eligible to vote if you:

* have been convicted of a felony and have not yet had your civil rights restored; or
are confined in prison on conviction of a criminal offense.

Once I register, do I need to register again for the next election?
Registration is permanent as long as you vote at least once every four years in a primary or general election, and do not move. You need to re-register if you change your address or name.

Can I register to vote by mail?
Yes, but the mail application must be postmarked at least 25 days prior to the election.

What does Residence Address mean?
You can register to vote only in the precinct where your residence is located. Your residence is where your home or living quarters is located, and, to which, whenever you are absent, you intend to return.

The official definition of "residence" can be accessed at:
http://www.idsos.state.id.us/elect/voterreg/residnc.htm

Can I put down a mail drop or post office box as my address?
No, the address must be the complete street address of your residence. If you do not have a street address, describe the location of your residence: cross streets, section, township, range, etc.

How will I know that my mail application has been received and I am registered?
You will receive a mailed notice from the county verifying your address and telling you the precinct you vote in.

Where do I go to vote?
You can call your county clerk to find out the address of the polling place for your precinct.

Can't I just register to vote at the polls on election day?
You may register at the polls on election day by providing proof of residence. All documents used in providing proof of residence shall be accompanied with a photo I.D. Only the following documents showing the registrant's current address in the precinct are authorized:

* a valid Idaho driver's license issued through the department of transportation
* a valid Idaho identification card issued through the department of transportation
* any document that contains a valid address in the precinct together with a picture identification card.

Students may also use a current valid student identification card from a post secondary educational institution in Idaho accompanied with a current student fee statement that contains the student's valid address in the precinct together with a picture identification card.

Deadline for Return of Registration Application
Every voter registering at an agency must be registered by the 25th day prior to an election. If you mail the registration card to your County Clerk, the card must be postmarked 25 days prior to the election.

You can request a registration card be mailed to you by visiting:
http://www.idsos.state.id.us/elect/voterreg/Cardreq.htm

6. The Idaho Green Party's Ten Key Values

DEMOCRACY IS NOT A SPECTATOR SPORT

*Why Vote for the Idaho Green Party?
The Idaho Green Party (IGP) is different from other political parties because its members are united in their commitment to ten key values. These key values represent a progressive platform dedicated to improving our state!

The IGP's positions on issues are based on these values:

*Grassroots Democracy:
The IGP works to increase public participation at every level of government and to ensure that our public representatives are fully accountable to the people who elect them. People have the right to and capacity for self-determination.

*Social Justice
The IGP believes that the promises of the United States Constitution and society are for all people. Everyone deserves the chance to enjoy freedom and to live in a fair and just country. We must consciously confront barriers such as racism, sexism, homophobia, and disability, which act to deny fair treatment and equal justice under the law.

*Ecological Wisdom
The IGP believes that we must maintain an ecological balance and live within the ecological and resource limits of our communities and our planet. We need to ensure the quality of water, air, and soil for ourselves and future generations. More than recycling, we demand that the developers and users of technology take responsibility for its impact.

*Nonviolence
The IGP rejects violence as a way of settling disputes - it is shortsighted, morally wrong, and ultimately self-defeating. We believe that violence is ineffectual because it treats the symptoms of problems, not the root causes. We believe that the development of effective alternatives to society's current patterns of violence is of great importance!

We promote non-violent methods to oppose practices and policies with which we disagree, and will guide our actions toward lasting personal, community and global peace.

*Community-Based Economics
The IGP recognizes that it is essential to create a vibrant and sustainable economic system, one that can create jobs and provide a decent standard of living for all people while maintaining a healthy ecological balance. A successful economic system will offer meaningful work with dignity, while paying a "living wage" which reflects the real value of a person's work. The IGP encourages local production for local use, by promoting small-scale businesses.

*Feminism and Gender Equity
The IGP believes in the equality of the sexes. No one should be discriminated because of sex or sexual orientation. Everyone should be paid the same wages for the same work.

*Decentralization
The IGP believes that power and responsibility must be restored to local communities, within an overall framework of ecologically sound, socially just values and life-styles. We believe that the closer decisions are made to those who are affected by them the better.

*Respect for Diversity
The IGP believes that it is important to value cultural, ethnic, racial, sexual, religious and spiritual diversity, and to promote the development of respectful relationships across these lines.

*Future Focus and Sustainability
The IGP believes that our actions and policies should be motivated by long-term goals. We seek to protect valuable natural resources, safely disposing of or "unmaking" all waste we create, while developing a sustainable economics that does not depend on continual expansion for survival. We must counterbalance the drive for short-term profits by assuring that economic development, new technologies, and fiscal policies are responsible to future generations who will inherit the results of our actions.

*Personal and Global Responsibility
The IGP believes that we must be socially and ecologically responsible to our neighbors. We believe in the slogan: "Think globally, act locally." The IGP is committed to global sustainability and international justice both through political solidarity and personal life-styles based on sufficiency and living lightly.

The Idaho Green Party has its draft platform, as well as the national Green Party's official platform, available at:
http://www.idahogreens.org/Greenweb/Platform.html

MAKE IT MATTER!

If you look at where the candidates and parties stand on the issues today, you might notice that the two parties are in basic agreement on most issues. More often than not, it does not matter which party wins an election. Most policy decisions will be the same, and the voter is left to choose between Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum. We all lose in that scenario.

Today we face grave and growing societal problems in health care, education, labor, energy, and the environment. These are problems for which active citizens have solutions, yet their voices are not carrying across the democracy gap.

—Ralph Nader

Have a look at all the candidates elected to Congress who were affiliated with alternative parties, from 1902 to 2000.

American democracy can only survive if there is healthy competition between political parties. Help make a difference. Help make American politics responsive to the people. Join the Idaho Green Party today!

BE GREEN
DO GREEN
VOTE GREEN

If you have any other questions or need any materials, please contact Robert at ballot@idahogreenparty.org or 208-388-4549 (Boise).