https://conventionofstates.com/event_petitions is an online form that you can use to enter petitions into Citizen Builder. If a petition signer enters their information themselves, a COS volunteer should be nearby to help, and should know the information contained in this document. Also, a COS volunteer should enter the Event Name and Event Description at the very bottom of the form before the first petition is entered at an event. This information will repeat automatically until the browser window with the “Sign the Petition” form is closed, so it only needs to be entered once per session. (See additional information below.)
Here is the screen form:
First Name and Last Name are self-explanatory. If they have included a middle name or initial, add that after the first name. If they have included a suffix, add that after the last name, like Smith Jr. Email should be in the proper form that includes @domainname.xxx. Enter the mobile phone without parentheses or hyphens. Be sure to uncheck the boxes for “Send me email updates,” and “Send me text message updates” if they are not checked on the paper form. If a signer is entering their own information, a COS Volunteer should point them out and be ready to discuss our “Terms & Conditions” and “Privacy Policy.” The address line is tied to a nationwide database of addresses and as you start typing, will pull up matches. You can select your address from the drop-down list and it will populate all of the address fields, including the Zip Code plus 4 (if available). By using the automatic address system, we can be sure of correctly identifying the signer’s legislative districts.
If the address given in the drop-down list is correct but not in the correct city, add the city name after the street address. Often this will bring up the correct full address. Rural addresses can be tricky because of format, abbreviations, and incompleteness of the address database. You may have to try different formats to locate the address in the database. For example, if the address is 504 State Rte 3, try 504 Illinois 3. If they list 3948 CR 500, try 3948 County Road 500 or 3948 500th Rd. If you simply cannot find the complete address as written on the form, you can bypass the automatic address feature. Type in the street address as written and then hit the Tab key. This will move you to the “Apt. suite, etc.” field. Tab again to enter the “City” field. Select the State from the list provided, and lastly enter the zip code as given. If the CitizenBuilder system cannot find the signer’s legislative districts, the petition will be put into a holding bin that will be researched later. If applicable, check or have them check the “I am a U.S. Veteran” and/or the “Yes, I would like to volunteer for COS!” boxes. If the volunteer box is checked, the form will prompt you to enter an email address and check the “Send me email updates” box if not already done. Click the arrow by, “How did you hear about us,” and select an option. Lastly, click the red button, “Send to my state legislators.”
The Event Name and Event Description are tags that are used so petition signers can be identified by the event at which they attended. When creating these tags, please begin each Event Name with “IL” and eliminate all spaces. The tag name should be unique. This will enable us to manage all our tags and use them correctly in filters.
Notes:
- One person per petition—sometimes spouses will try to do a “Mr. & Mrs.” Each one should fill out a separate petition.
- Although the petition does not prevent it, duplicate email addresses will cause a problem within CitizenBuilder. Individuals should use an email address unique to them.
- Some old petition forms are still circulating. Make sure paper petitions include a text and email opt in/out.
- As you encourage the person to complete a paper petition, please ask them to print legibly.
- Instruct petition signers to use their physical street address and not P.O. Box numbers.
- Have petition signers sign and date the paper petitions. If they forget, the petition can still be entered because we don’t get signatures from our on-line signers.
- Keep paper petition forms. They should eventually be sent to the COS National Headquarters, 5850 San Felipe, Suite 580A, Houston, TX 77057.
