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How to Write a Petition 

 

Write your petition now or read on....

Writing a petition is not as difficult as you might think. Many campaigners have reported success stories with GoPetition after using our powerful platform. For great campaign results you need to take into account a number of issues: identifying your target, proper research, clear communication and how you will promote your petition.

Identifying your target

The first task of effective petition writing is to properly identify your target. At GoPetition we have many examples of petitions written to a variety of campaign targets. The list below illustrates some popular targets:

  •  Governments, parliaments, politicians: local, state, federal, national, EU, UN; 
  •  Politcal parties, presidents, prime ministers, senators, ambassadors; 
  •  Educational institutions; 
  •  Sports organizations; 
  •  Media organizations; 
  •  Entertainment producers - TV stations, Film and TV producers, studios; 
  •  Neighborhood authorities or home owner associations; 
  •  There are many more examples that can be searched at GoPetition.

Example targets: governments and parliaments

GoPetition hosts many petitions written to governments and parliaments. Many jurisdictions throughout the world now recognize internet petitions. In Scotland, e-Petitioner (a parliamentary service) is one of the pioneer internet petition services introduced to allow efficient access to the parliamentary process. A broader e-petition service has also been initiated in the UK. E-petitions is now an electronic means to influence government policy in the UK, but 100,000 signatures are necessary to make a petition eligible for debate in the House of Commons.

In Queensland, Australia, internet petitions to parliament have been sanctioned allowing a Member of Parliament to sponsor a relevant e-petition. The Australian Federal Upper House has also allowed electronic petitions under standing orders. In Europe, petitions addressed to the European Parliament are allowed in electronic format but require signers to indicate nationality and employment status. In the USA, statutory requirements vary federally and from state to state.

The increasing acceptance of internet petitions by governments and parliaments worldwide makes GoPetition an ideal partner for your campaign. Our services can be used for any petition addressed to government at a local, county, state or national level or even internationally (for example, the UN). GoPetition has many examples of well written petitions to a variety of local, state and national governments and parliaments and also to the United Nations (UN).

The status of e-signatures

The status of electronic signatures (e-signatures) is undergoing major change and development in many Western jurisdictions. The law of electronic signatures is in its infancy. In these circumstances, we at GoPetition provide for the collection of a variety of data fields to provide as much flexibility as possible for each petition author. We provide custom software so you can build your own fields and collect the data you need and want.

GoPetition aims to keep up to date with the latest trends and requirements for internet petitions and e-signatures while also providing a customized experience for our campaigners, partners and signers.

Proper research

A petition should begin with a request, followed by well researched reasons for making the request. Each petition should provide a description of relevant circumstances and links to documentation or facts that support that description. Moreover, a petition should contain information that suggests its request is feasible.

Clear and concise communication


Don't clutter your petition with information or requests that have no essential connection to the main message. Read over your petition carefully. Make sure it:

(1) describes the situation,
(2) suggests what is needed, and
(3) explains why it is needed.

Be clear and concise with your message.

There are many examples of excellent and well written petitions at GoPetition, so we suggest that you read some of the more popular petitions and use these as templates before you create a petition.

Privacy


Concerns about data collection and privacy in regard to e-petitions are important. At GoPetition personal details provided by signers are not used to send unsolicited e-mail, and are not sold to any 3rd party. We have the strictest privacy policy of any petition hosting site. Petition authors must agree to use e-signatures for legitimate purposes.

How to promote your petition

How you promote your petition will have a critical influence on the outcome of your campaign. Please refer to our help page or contact us for a free consultation.

Why start a petition?

Dating back to the reign of King Edward I, thirteenth century England, the presentation of a petition acted as a trigger for the creation of laws. Public petitions can be an important avenue for those who wish to influence parliamentary representatives. A well documented and supported petition will always have "persuasive" influence in all spheres of public policy making (and it matters not if a petition complies with strict parliamentary rules).

Petitions to other targets (non government) can also help to form or shape public opinion and ultimately bring about change. A successful petition will complement a campaign strategy that includes direct lobbying, letter writing and media exposure. GoPetition provides important resources to complement your overall campaign strategy.

Customer service

We are committed to quality customer service and advice. If you have any queries about how to write a petition, please contact us and we will reply as a matter of priority. If you need help to start your petition we can assist or provide feedback.

Ready to write a petition? Simply become a member of the GoPetition global community by clicking on the link below.

Get free membership and start your petition now

If you want to know more about this site, then you can read our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) GoPetition has advanced editing software that allows you to add updates, news items, and other material to your petition at any time. You may also link to your website from your petition. We also allow you to display a picture with your petition. A free facebook message board is provided with every petition. For further information concerning how to make a petition, just refer to our FAQ or contact us.

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