A platform is the method you use to create and distribute your petition. To choose a platform, you should think about who you need to reach and what you want to change. Some government agencies and institutions require a certain number of signatures before they consider a petition. Make sure that you check to see what kind of platforms they allow and how many signatures you’ll actually need before starting.
It’s a lot easier to get people to sign your petition if you can present it in person and explain your cause to them. Consider printing your petition and presenting it to the public yourself. [2] X Research source
Digital platforms are a good idea if you plan on sharing your petition on social media or want access to an international audience. The federal government of the United States has a special dedicated website for political petitions, We the People. Consider using it if you want to get American politicians to change or create a law. [4] X Research source
Templates are a good idea if you’re unfamiliar with all of the traditional elements of a petition. You could forget an essential section if you’ve never made one on your own.
If you’re trying to get your school to change something, this can be an effective way to show them that the students support your idea.
For example, if you’re a high school student trying to petition your school to allow dress-down days, you may say, “We have been forced to wear these stiff and uncomfortable uniforms for too long!” A petition designed to garner support for a local mayoral candidate may start off with a more logical approach. For example, you might start, “Our next mayor should be reasonable, respectful, and honest, don’t you think?”
Don’t exaggerate or lie. Your audience will not take your petition seriously if you appear to be untrustworthy. If the high school student that wants dress-down days starts to use demanding language, the administration is unlikely to respect the request. Instead, they might say, “We respectfully request that the school consider introducing a bi-weekly dress-down day. ” A petition designed to get a mayoral candidate elected would likely be better off appealing to a sense of urgency. For example, you could say, “This city deserves the best. The time to act is now!”
The entire body of your petition should be under a paragraph or two. Put your proposed solution in the headline of your petition. This will give the audience the greatest sense of urgency and let them know what the petition is about as soon as they start to read it. [10] X Research source If a high school student wants dress-down days, the headline should indicate that. A simple phrase like, “We want dress-down days” or “Elect Mayor Smith” is an essential key in getting your audience to understand your petition.
Don’t rely entirely on spellcheck. Digital spellcheckers often miss nuanced or complex mistakes, and you want your writing to be as clean as possible. [12] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC’s on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source
A good pitch for a high school student’s dress-down petition may be, “Hi! Don’t you think that it would be nice to wear our normal clothes to school?” A pitch designed to get a new mayor elected might sound a little different. For example, “Hello! Care to sign a petition to make our government stronger?”[14] X Research source
Feel free to be straightforward with people that know you intimately. Simply explain the importance of the issue and ask them to sign it for you. If your petition is rooted in a local cause, the support of your family can demonstrate the importance of an issue to a smaller community.
To make people feel heard, use affirmative language like “I totally agree with you,” or “I hear you!” This will make your audience feel like they’re on your side, and they’ll be more inclined to sign your petition. Protests and rallies are good places to get your petition signed. The people attending are more likely to want to create change and engage in difficult issues. [17] X Research source
Look for Twitter hashtags related to your cause and use them to promote your petition. [20] X Research source Join Facebook groups that would be likely to support your petition and share it with them. [21] X Research source Check local laws to make sure that it’s legal to petition at a certain establishment or in a particular area. [22] X Research source If you’re petitioning people at school, consider doing it at lunch when you have the opportunity to address larger groups of students.
