Washington State Votes: Make Sure Your Name is Counted When Signing a Petition

Many Washington State voters don't realize there are several things they can do that will cause their name to be crossed off a petition and not counted. Here are a few things voters need to know to assure their signature will be counted when signing a petition to put an initiative or a referendum on the ballot. Many of these rules may apply in other states as well.

1. You need to be a registered voter. If you are not, most signature collectors carry voter registration forms. Ask for one. However, you need to fill it out and give it to the person collecting signatures before you can sign the petition. This will guarantee your name will be on record by the time the names on the petition are counted. Of course, if you are a felon or under eighteen years of age, you cannot vote or sign a petition.

2. You need to sign your name exactly the same way it is on record. When you signed the voter's registration form to register to vote or to change information (such as address or name change) that signature is kept on file. So if your name is William So-and-so and you signed William So-and-so on the registration form, you cannot sign a petition Wm. So-and-so. If you do, your name will be crossed out and not counted.

3. When you print out your name it needs to be legible. If it is not easily read, your name will be crossed out. No one will spend a half-hour trying to read your printing if you scribble. In some cases, a dumb little thing such as an "n" looking like an "r" may get your name crossed out.

4. You need to print your name exactly how it appears on record. You cannot use initials unless you used initials when you registered. In other words, if your name is William James So-and-so and you registered as William James So-and-so, you cannot print in W.J. So-and-so or even William J. So-and-so. On the other hand, if you registered as W.J. So-and-so, you better use your initials.

5. You cannot use a P.O. box for your address. You need to use your physical address; the one you would use if you were to call the fire department to report your house on fire. (You wouldn't send them to the Post Office!) You can use a rural route and box number (Rt. 1, Box 266). If you have moved and have not reported your new address, then you cannot use your new address. Ask the person collecting signatures for a registration form so you can report your new address.

6. You cannot use ditto marks. If your spouse signs before you, you cannot use ditto marks to fill in your address, city or town, zip, and county. You need to write it out. Also, realize it says county and not country. There is no need to include Washington in your address since it is already known you are a Washington State resident. If you are not a Washington State resident, you cannot sign a Washington State petition.

Here are a few tips.

Signing a petition does not mean you are for or against the initiative or referendum nor does it make it a law. All it does is simply say you want to see it on the ballot so it can be voted on.

If you live in King County and you're visiting someone in Spokane County (or any other county) you can sign a petition as long as it is a statewide issue. You cannot sign a county or city petition unless you live in that county or city.

If you are not familiar with an initiative or a referendum there is a small write-up on the front of the petition. You can also find the complete text on the back of the petition. Ask the person collecting signatures to let you read the back. He or she will more than likely have a copy you can read while other people are signing the original. One caution here-most laws are lengthy so be prepare to spend a good amount of time reading it.

You cannot sign someone else's name (not even your spouse's) unless you are legally authorized to do so. (This does not mean your spouse's permission; it means you need to have a court document stating you can legally sign another person's name.) Otherwise, it is illegal. You can receive a jail sentence or a fine or both if you either sign someone else's name or knowingly sign a petition more than once. All petitions will carry a warning stating this.

If you have already signed a petition and you see someone collecting signatures elsewhere and that signature collector tells you the language is different because the color of the petition is different, do not sign it. Some people are brought in from other states who are paid to collect signatures and will say almost anything to get you to sign. (This is sad, but it is a fact. However, not everyone from out of state is this way.) All a different color normally indicates is, if the person is getting paid to collect signatures, he or she is getting paid a different amount than he or she was receiving for the other color; or it could simply be a copy in a different color. But if someone is collecting signatures and the petition is a different color than the last one you saw, this does not necessarily mean the person is getting paid.

Keep these things in mind and make your signature count.