Become a Circulator
What’s a circulator?
Circulators are people who collect signatures for a petition. In Oregon, petitions can be used to support a candidate, add information to the voters’ pamphlet, remove an elected official, propose laws and amendments, and adopt or reject a bill. Circulators are responsible for informing voters about the petition and collecting signatures in support of it. All circulators report to the chief petitioner, the person or group who started the petition. Some chief petitioners pay circulators for their time.
Circulators explain the petition to voters, get signatures from supporters, and enforce strict requirements to maintain the integrity of the process.
Circulators must:
The importance of circulators
The petition process is a key part of Oregonian democracy. It provides more ways for voters to change the system by removing elected officials, approving or rejecting bills written by officials, and proposing and enacting laws directly. The initiative process, which allows voters to write and pass laws, is the only available form of direct democracy. Circulators play a key role in distributing information about petitions and gathering the necessary signatures to move them forward.
The right to petition is an often overlooked democratic process. The First Amendment of the US Constitution guarantees that:
"Congress shall make no law...abridging the... right of the people...to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
Petitioning can be traced back to the Magna Carta, one of the first known declarations of rights. Without circulators, many citizens would not know about available petitions and would not participate in the petition process. As a circulator, you play a key role in upholding citizens’ first amendment rights and empowering them to participate directly in their government.
How to become a circulator
Once you’re ready to become a circulator, you’ll need to find a petition to circulate! Through the Oregon Secretary of State’s website, you can search a list of active petitions. Each petition will have a description of its intent and information about whether or not it will pay circulators. Search for petitions you care about and want to promote. Once you’ve found one you want to support, contact the chief petitioners that are listed and see if they are looking for circulators.
You have to complete the Secretary of State’s Circulator Training Program and certify your date of completion. The chief petitioner will need to complete an acknowledgement that you have completed the training and that you will be circulating for their petition. The chief petitioner will provide you with specific instructions about circulating, signature sheets, and other materials you’ll need, like pens and clipboards. Once you have your materials, you’re ready to go. You can work with other circulators or by yourself to get signatures within the area affected by your petition. Good luck and happy circulating!
Circulators are people who collect signatures for a petition. In Oregon, petitions can be used to support a candidate, add information to the voters’ pamphlet, remove an elected official, propose laws and amendments, and adopt or reject a bill. Circulators are responsible for informing voters about the petition and collecting signatures in support of it. All circulators report to the chief petitioner, the person or group who started the petition. Some chief petitioners pay circulators for their time.
- How do petitions work? Take a look at this flowchart that explains the Oregon initiative process.
Circulators explain the petition to voters, get signatures from supporters, and enforce strict requirements to maintain the integrity of the process.
Circulators must:
- Witness each signature
- Complete a certification for each sheet of signatures
- Take signatures only from registered voters
- Ensure the voter information is legible and correct
- Provide voters with accurate information about the petition
- Find out more! Read the Oregon Circulator Training Manual for more information about what it means to be a circulator.
The importance of circulators
The petition process is a key part of Oregonian democracy. It provides more ways for voters to change the system by removing elected officials, approving or rejecting bills written by officials, and proposing and enacting laws directly. The initiative process, which allows voters to write and pass laws, is the only available form of direct democracy. Circulators play a key role in distributing information about petitions and gathering the necessary signatures to move them forward.
- Direct democracy: a form of government in which citizens, not officials, decide on the laws
The right to petition is an often overlooked democratic process. The First Amendment of the US Constitution guarantees that:
"Congress shall make no law...abridging the... right of the people...to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
Petitioning can be traced back to the Magna Carta, one of the first known declarations of rights. Without circulators, many citizens would not know about available petitions and would not participate in the petition process. As a circulator, you play a key role in upholding citizens’ first amendment rights and empowering them to participate directly in their government.
How to become a circulator
Once you’re ready to become a circulator, you’ll need to find a petition to circulate! Through the Oregon Secretary of State’s website, you can search a list of active petitions. Each petition will have a description of its intent and information about whether or not it will pay circulators. Search for petitions you care about and want to promote. Once you’ve found one you want to support, contact the chief petitioners that are listed and see if they are looking for circulators.
- If you’ll be a paid circulator for a state initiative or referendum, you must register with the Oregon elections division
You have to complete the Secretary of State’s Circulator Training Program and certify your date of completion. The chief petitioner will need to complete an acknowledgement that you have completed the training and that you will be circulating for their petition. The chief petitioner will provide you with specific instructions about circulating, signature sheets, and other materials you’ll need, like pens and clipboards. Once you have your materials, you’re ready to go. You can work with other circulators or by yourself to get signatures within the area affected by your petition. Good luck and happy circulating!
- Chief petitioner: the main advocate of a petition, who is responsible for drafting, submitting, and managing the petition