[Peace-discuss] Fw: Materials for putting a question on the ballot via the 2014 Illinois Annual Township Meeting

Wed Jan 8 22:49:36 UTC 2014

----- Original Message ----- 
From: pamella gronemeyer 
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Sent: Wednesday, January 08, 2014 6:49 AM
Subject: FW: Materials for putting a question on the ballot via the 2014 Illinois Annual Township Meeting

HI,

These are samples of items needed to get the issue of the township endorsing a constitutional amendment to reverse the Citizens United decision on the November ballot in each township, We have to get at least 15 valid signatures  of registered voters in the townships on the petitions, have the petitions notarized. and turn the petitions in by February 28. Then. we have to get people to go to each tonwship[ meeting on April 8 to vote for the referendum. look these over. We can modify for our townships.  I have found a great speaker to hold an educational forum on the issue on a Saturday in late February or early March. Email me with questions. i will see you next week, I hope!

Pam

 Materials for putting a question on the ballot via the 2014 Illinois Annual Township Meeting

The attached materials are intended to aid you in placing a question on the ballot via the 2014 Illinois Annual Township Meeting.

I've provided you a sample petition, letter to be filed with the township clerk, and flyer to use to Get Out The Vote at the Annual Township Meeting.

These are updated documents based on what we used for Lisle Township DuPage County in 2012.  I've updated all of these documents regarding the correct date of the 2014 Annual Township Meeting, Nov. 2014 election, and the latest version of the Move to Amend question to be placed on the ballot.

Important facts:

  1.. You will want to update the township and county for the petition and letter. 
  2.. You will want to update the time and location of the Annual Township Meeting for the flyer. 
  3.. You will need to wait for the meeting notice posted by the township clerk to find out the starting time of the meeting.  They often have an early sign in time to verify registered voters, so you will want to tell people to arrive half an hour early. 
  4.. Latest Date to file letter and petition with the township clerk requesting an agenda item be added to the Annual Township Meeting: Friday February 28, 2014 (because March 1, 2014 is a Saturday)

  5.. Date of 2014 Annual Township Meeting: Tuesday April 8, 2014 
  6.. Date of 2014 Nov. Election: Tuesday November 4, 2014 
  7.. Article 30 - Annual Township Meeting Township Code 
  8.. Article 40 - Conduct Of Township Meetings Township Code 
  9.. You need a minimum of 15 signatures from registered voters in your township to sign a petition accompanied by a letter instructing the township board to add an agenda item to the Annual Township Meeting in order to take a vote whether to place the Move to Amend question on the ballot.  It's recommended you get at least 25 signatures to withstand any petition challenge.  This should not require more than 2 - 3 hours of your time walking up and down the street you live on.

  10.. When you request signatures ask if the person is registered to vote and show them the letter along with the petition.  Also ask them if they would like to attend the Annual Township Meeting and vote YES to place the question on the ballot.  Bring a signup list and get all there contact info, if they want to attend the meeting.

  11.. When you file with the township clerk, insist on a dated receipt and ask her/him to contact you when they have determined a starting time for the meeting.  Also ask her/him where the notice and agenda will be posted.  They legally have to post it at least 10 days before the meeting.

  12.. Be courteous, but firm with the clerk.  They may be professional and cooperative, but they may also not be and try to discourage you from filing and ignorant of your legal right to add an agenda item to the agenda.  Insist he/she process your filing regardless of whatever tactics they may pull. 
  13.. You will need to turn out a large number of voters that support placing the question on the ballot.  Have several people ready to organize a large turnout of supporters that are registered township residents.  Update the flyer ASAP and distribute lots of copies as soon as you know the time and place of the meeting.  We have experienced the township board filling the room with patronage workers who are expected to vote how the township board tells them, so you can't have too many supporters.  Consider also creating a Spanish language version of the flyer.  Reach out to allies, like Move to Amend, Illinois Ballot Integrity Project, the Green Party, the Democratic Party, and other organizations.  Don't overlook reaching out to moderate Republican and independent voters who also often support Move to Amend on this issue.  Use Facebook and don't just rely on email.  You will need to organize people to help make calls to all your supporters and allies.  Light up the twittersphere.

  14.. At the meeting the first item on the agenda will be to nominate moderators and then a vote will be taken for who will be moderator.  All votes at the meeting require a simple majority to pass.  Plan ahead and try to get one of your organizers nominated as a moderator.  This is critical.  If the township board does not support adding the question on the ballot, they probably will try to have a board member be the moderator.  The moderator can greatly influence how much time is allowed to discuss the agenda item before a vote is taken and how the vote is conducted.  We have experienced problems with how the voting is conducted and it has left confusion among meeting attendees regarding the vote count.  You should read Article 40 - Conduct Of Township Meetings Township Code thoroughly.  It's very short.  The law has recommendations on voting methods when their are concerns about the accuracy of the vote, such as having the voters rise when they vote or even dividing the voters based on whether they vote yes or no.  Be sure to have 3 supporters assigned to verify the vote and be vocal if the moderator's count is incorrect.  This applies to the vote for the moderator and the vote for placing the question on the ballot. 
  15.. After you are successful getting the question on the ballot, you need to make sure the clerk follows through and does her/his job and files the proper paperwork with the County Election Authority to get the question certified to be on the ballot.  Check with Clerk periodically until you've verified that the question is certified to be on the ballot.  Ask for proof that it is certified.  Your county hopefully will update their election website once the question is certified.  In Lisle Township for the 2012 Nov. ballot we had to a great deal of trouble getting the Clerk to do his job and certify the question, because he did not want the question on the ballot.  Only our persistence avoided the question not being on the ballot because of a "mixup".  

  16.. You will also need a Spanish translation of the question for the ballot.  You should get this from one of your Spanish supporters.  Best not to leave this translation up the township clerk, especially if the clerk does not support putting the question on the ballot.  There could be a "mixup" in the translation. 
  17.. Once the question is certified, you will need to Get Out The Vote (GOTV) on Election Day.  Attached is the campaign flyer we used to GOTV in 2012 in Warrenville and Lisle Township.  I can provide you contact info, upon request, for the designer of this flyer, Tim Spindler. 
  18.. Good luck and thanks for your efforts in restoring our democracy.

-- 

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