FAQ
- How do I create a petition?
- Who can create a Petition?
- How much does it cost to submit a petition?
- What petition topics are acceptable?
- When can I start collecting signatures?
- How can I let petition signers upload a photo?
- How will my petition be submitted to the target?
- What information will I receive about the signers of my petition?
- How can I communicate with petition signers?
- How long will my petition stay online?
- How do I get started?
- Where do I start?
- Why isn't my signature listed where my email said it would be listed
- Do online petitions really make a difference?
- How can I have my personal information automatically entered on the petition?
- Why do I need to leave a comment when signing a petition?
- How do I contact the petition owner?
- Why are there expired petitions on the site?
- How do I invite others to sign a petition?
- How do I edit or manage my petition?
- How does the Petition Site protect my privacy?
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How do I create a petition?
It's simple. Our on-screen tools allow you to preview your petition as you write it. You'll need a few things to get started:
- Sponsor information: Your name or the name of the organization.
- Target information: The name of the person to whom the petition and signatures will be delivered.
- Petition headline and description: Name your petition and tell your signers about the issue.
- Petition letter: This is the letter you'll deliver to your target.
- Signature goal: How many people do you want to sign it? Aim high. Change the world.
- Deadline: How long do you want your petition to be active?
Once you publish your petition, use our tools to tell the world.
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Who can create a Petition?
Anyone can create a petition. All you need is a desire to make a difference. Once you have published your petition, it's ready to sign.
You must have a Care2 account in order to host a petition on The Petition Site. However, if you do not already have a Care2 account, you'll be given a chance to create one as you write your petition.
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How much does it cost to submit a petition?
It's free. No strings. No fees.
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What petition topics are acceptable?
All you need is an issue and a desire to make a difference. ThePetitionSite.com is a non-partisan organization. We accept petitions on any subject.
We reserve the right to remove petitions found to be excessively offensive by our users or editorial staff.
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When can I start collecting signatures?
Instantly. Your petition will be ready to sign after you create and publish it. You can collect signatures and promote your petition within minutes.
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How can I let petition signers upload a photo?
Photos increase your petition's impact. All signers have the option of adding a photo.
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How will my petition be submitted to the target?
It is your responsibility to deliver the petition to the target. The PetitionSite provides tools to export your signatures.
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What information will I receive about the signers of my petition?
To protect the privacy of petition signers, you will receive signers' names, city, state, country and their comments.
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How can I communicate with petition signers?
In the management dashboard for your petition, you can enter a message that will be included in a "thank-you for signing" message that is sent to each petition signer. Additionally, when you close the petition, you can send a "results" message to petition signers. Signers love to know they've made a difference.
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How long will my petition stay online?
As long as they receive signatures, they'll remain online. If a petition receives less than 1,000 signatures in four months, it will be moved down in the category page to make room for more popular petitions.
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How do I get started?
All you need is an issue you're passionate about and an action to make a difference on that issue. The key to writing a compelling petition is research. Hone your message, identify your target and change the world.
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Where do I start?
- Step one: Create a free Care2 profile.
- Step two: Create a petition at thepetitionsite.com.
- Step three: Make a difference.
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Why isn't my signature listed where my email said it would be listed
The confirmation email is sent prior to a filter being applied to remove duplicates, so your signature may shift places. To find out where your signature is on the petition, please log into your account and click on MyPetitionSite in upper right. Click on the petition in question, go to that petition's homepage and note the time and date you signed at the bottom of the petition.
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Do online petitions really make a difference?
Yes.
Signing a petition is effective. A number of factors influence the effectiveness of a petition. The more a target organization is impacted by public opinion, the more effective your petitions. In addition, the Petition Site enhances the credibility of online petitions by centralizing signature collection, regulating signature data collection and output, facilitating communication of petitions via fax, email, etc. and by using fraud-reduction technology. The effect of a petition goes far beyond the actual list of signatures. Journalists write stories about petitions, signers get inspired to take additional action and other potential targets conform their behavior to avoid being a target.
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How can I have my personal information automatically entered on the petition?
If you are logged into your free Care2 account, your information automatically populates the fields. Do you have heightened security enabled on your Care2 account? This will prevent the fields from auto-populating your information.
To change your security settings, click here:
http://www.care2.com/c2c/my/edit_security.html -
Why do I need to leave a comment when signing a petition?
Comments add gravity to the petition. Comments make your signature unique. With many of the petition no-comment-based Internet collections, your name and information would be added simply to one letter that is all the same. Many of the government organizations have decided that all those letters (sometimes thousands) will count as one public comment and not more, thus invalidating the signatures. Obviously, this shouldn't be allowed and we are fighting such techniques so that all signatures will count. To make sure your signature counts, we ask that you add a unique comment at the end of the letter. This ensures that the target reads each letter that we collect.
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How do I contact the petition owner?
To contact the sponsor of any petition on our site, click on the sponsor's name in the upper left corner of the petition. The sponsor will receive your message, and will be given your email address, so that they may respond to your feedback.
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Why are there expired petitions on the site?
Sometimes petitions stay up after the expiration date because they are still topical. It's up to the author to give the information to the intended target. If you are still unsure of the petition, contact the petition owner and ask if it is still accepting signatures.
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How do I invite others to sign a petition?
At the bottom of each petition, you'll find an "e-mail this petition to your friends" link. Click on it and follow the instructions. It's a quick and easy way to magnify the impact of your signature.
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How do I edit or manage my petition?
Every petition you create has a dashboard, where you can edit your petition's content, download signature reports, and remove offensive signatures.
The petitions you've created are listed on your My Petitionsite page, under the Petitions Authored heading. Find the title of the petition you'd like to manage, then click the "[manage petition]" link to go to that petition's dashboard.
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How does the Petition Site protect my privacy?
In order to make sure your signature counts, we need to send some of your information to the petition creator. Our privacy policy explains exactly how your information is shared.
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