Petitioning can be fun! No, really!

Everyone moans inwardly (at least) when it comes time to petition. Even the most gregarious and extroverted among us find something difficult in approaching strangers who are going about their busy day and asking them for a favor. The more introverted types can find it excruciating. I have found that getting myself out there is always the hardest part - once I get warmed up, I almost always have a great time talking to people and getting something accomplished for ballot access.

But we all know petitioning for ballot access has to be done. So how do we make the work more palatable? How do we get ourselves started?

The best way to get going in petitioning is to go with a friend or a group of friends. This accomplishes several things; most importantly it gets you out there at a specific time and place and gives you concrete support. Of secondary - but vital - importance is the fact that it really helps to have someone to laugh with you over the rejections and share in your triumphs. Your partner can also steady you in case you tend to be prone to argumentation (not that Libertarians tend to be argumentative... well, OK, we do!:)

The rockin' Guilford County LP contacted the WakeLP last week about doing some cross-county petitioning, so the upshot was that Alex and I (Susan) met Allison, Rob, and Asa at Raleigh Farmer's Market to get some names on paper and make some friends for the LP.

Alex and I got there first, and got to work. Alex had get back to work, so he wanted to get right into it. Here he is getting the signature of the peach lady


Rob and Asa talk to people as well, while I do some strategic shopping (and photographing).


There's always time for a blueberry break!


After lunch the Farmer's Market slows down and we head over to the NCSU campus, where there we find only a trickle of folks in the brickyard in front of the library - but it's a steady and friendly trickle!


Rob was inspired by the campus atmosphere to do the Rob VS the Cult dance. Click on the picture to see - and hear - the dance:

A brief rest at the parabolic reflector,

then off to the car. On the way, we passed a bustop and Allison couldn't pass up three easy signatures.

And then a stop at Baja Burrito for a late lunch!


One of the fun parts about hanging out with Libertarians to do petitioning is that most of the chitchat while petitioning and afterwards is not political - it's great to just unwind and talk about things like school and work and poultry (my not-so-secret obsession) rather than the usual unending (but fascinating) libertarian discussions about the death penalty, lottery, war, etc.

The benefits went way beyond today's signature gathering - we got some names of people to contact, talked about future projects, including a film screening and a social/music night, had a great lunch, scouted some petitioning places, got petitioning tips from each other, and did I mention had a lot of fun? Yes, 'fun' and 'petitioning' can go together in the same sentence!

Petitioning is fun!