Many of us have signed online petitions before. You have probably seen them on social media, or been invited to sign them in an email or text. Sometimes, it can be unclear what impact your signature has, but rest assured your voice makes a difference.
Here are the answers to some of the most common questions we get about petitions:
Why should I sign an Appleseed petition?
There are lots of reasons to sign!
- You get to speak up for yourself, your family, and your community.
- You support others who care about the same issue.
- You can connect with advocates who’ll help you keep up the pressure with further action, and stay up to date with news on the issue.
How can I make the most impact with my signature?
Some ways to help an online petition have the most impact:
- Along with signing, tell your story. No one else can share your unique experience and reasons to care about the issue. Sharing your story helps fellow community members and policymakers understand how important the issue is for you and our communities.
- Send the petition to people you know and tell them why you signed. Ask your friends and networks to add their name. Every signature turns up the volume on our message and helps build visibility for the issue!
- Stay engaged. Keep reading Appleseed updates. Talk with us and fellow supporters about updates and upcoming actions. Share your ideas with us about how to take our efforts further.
What happens to the petition after I sign?
Every online petition we circulate is used to amplify your voice and advocate for the issue that made you sign-on. Which decision-maker sees it and where it goes depends on the issue – and that’s why we’re always here to keep you informed. Sometimes the person who needs to see it is the governor. Sometimes it’s other Nebraskans!
Last spring, thousands of Nebraskans signed a petition encouraging our state senators to allocate federal ARPA funds towards Nebraska’s food banks. The stories you shared helped emphasize how much food access remains a concern for community members across our state – and the Nebraska Legislature listened! This is one of many examples of the far-reaching impact that your signature can have.
No matter what, signing a petition about something you care about is a great first step toward making an impact. By adding your name, you participate in a larger movement of people coming together to create more resilient and equitable communities. These small efforts end up making all the difference.
Look out for a blog next week about state ballot initiatives like Raise the Wage that use physical petitions and signature gathering!
If you have more questions about online petitions or how they impact our work, please email Megan Hamann at mhamann@neappleseed.org.