Dear [[first_name]],

Thank you so much for getting involved in Reform Ohio Now! Your help is crucial to getting these amendments on the ballot.

You have volunteered to collect signatures so that Ohio voters will have a chance to pass the three proposed amendments on November 8, 2005. This is an easy and important way to make a difference?but we really need everyone to pitch in, so don?t forget about your promise! You?ll need to collect the signatures and mail them back to us within 10 days.

You might want to print out and save this email, as it contains the instructions you'll need.

First, if you haven?t done so already, please take a look at our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page; this will get you acquainted with the campaign and answer some common questions.

Once you've briefed yourself, it?s time to go collect some signatures! At the bottom of this email are the instructions for volunteer signature gatherers (which we sometimes call ?circulators?). Read the instructions word for word. This is important. The requirements for signature-gathering are very specific, and repeating a simple mistake could render all your signatures invalid--all your efforts will be for nothing!

Then download the petition and print it out. This is the document on which you?ll be collecting signatures. If the document isn?t printed out exactly as it appears, all the signatures could be void, so print it out fully, staple it, and never divide it up.

Once you?ve gotten as many signatures as you can, within 10 days, mail it back to us at:

Petition Returns Reform Ohio Now P.O. Box 20330 Columbus, OH 43220

If you need to get in touch with us or have any other questions, just respond to this email. We?ll try to get back to you within a few hours.

Once again [[first_name]], thank you so much for your hard work and commitment?together we WILL get Ohio back on the right track.

Sincerely, Reform Ohio Now

________________________________________
INSTRUCTIONS FOR PETITION CIRCULATORS

Print legibly, except at the end of the petition where you must sign your name.

The circulator is not required to be a registered voter or a resident of Ohio.

Top of front page: Fill in your name as the solicitor (circulator). Fill in date you received the petition (date of issuance). Must be prior to or the same day as the earliest date of the signatures on the petition. Fill in name of the county of the signatures on the petition.

Top of third page: Since you are a volunteer and are not being paid to collect signatures, write ?nothing? on the amount line and do not fill in the name and address lines.

All signatures on a petition must be from the same county. Therefore, before you begin circulating, print the name of the county on the first line of each signature page in the ?county? column and put ditto marks down the remainder of the column. Strike a signature which is from a ?wrong? county.

1. There may only be one circulator per petition.

2. You must witness each person signing the petition.

3. Do not leave the petition on a counter or table for people to sign if you will not be present the entire time.

4. Only registered voters in the county may sign the petition.

5. Signatures must be in cursive handwriting unless the person also printed his or her signature on their registration form. Otherwise, a printed signature will not be counted.

6. Formal first names are not required. For example, ?Ed? for ?Edward? is acceptable. Middle initials are not required. However, only a first initial or only first and middle initials are not sufficient unless that is how the person?s signature appears on his or her registration form.

7. If a person?s signature is not legible, please print the name in the same box. You may do the same for the address.

8. Never permit a person to sign someone else?s name. A spouse may not sign for a spouse. This will invalidate all of the signatures on that petition paper.

9. The signer must provide the address at which they are registered to vote. This is never a P.O. Box and may be different from their mailing address (eg. The person lives in a township, but has a village or city mailing address. The name of the township must be used.) The name of the county, city, village or township may be abbreviated using a commonly understood abbreviation. Ditto marks may be used.

11. If the person is not registered or has moved since they last voted, they may still sign the petition, but must also register or update their registration by the date the petition is filed, August 10, 2005. You may register the person or update their registration if you have registration forms with you. Turn in registration forms with the petition.

12. The date of signing must be provided, including the year (2005 or 05). Dates are not required to be in strict chronological order. Ditto marks may be used.

13. The circulator, rather than the signer, may fill in all information on the petition, including the signer?s address and date of signing.

14. A person may change his/her mind and draw a line through his/her signature.

15. When done circulating a petition paper, the circulator must fill in his/her name and address on the back of the paper and must fill in the number of signatures witnessed and sign his/her name.

16. A circulator may not sign their own petition, but may sign another circulator?s.

17. Not all signature pages/lines of a petition must be filled in to be valid. Every signature counts.

The full text of the proposed amendments must follow the signatures and come before the circulator?s attestation at the end of the petition.

Last page of the petition: 1) Print your name legibly in space on first line. 2) Fill in the number of signatures on the petition that have not been struck through. Only the circulator may fill in this number. Do not change the number once you have filled it in. If you do, be certain to initial the change. 3) Sign your name on the signature line. Do not print, unless your legal signature is printed. 4) Print your complete permanent address. Do not use a hotel or other temporary address. 5) If you were employed to circulate the petition, you must also fill in the name and address of your employer.

PLEASE RETURN ALL PETITIONS TO: Reform Ohio Now P.O. Box 20330 Columbus, Ohio 43220
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