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Guide to Collecting Signatures

We need 74,574 certified signatures and will shoot for 100,000. They are due at the Town Clerks no later than November 19, 2025.

  • Use a legal-size clipboard. The petition papers will be letter size, but the larger clipboard makes it more comfortable for people to sign.
  • One town per sheet. Signatures of people from different towns cannot be on the same sheet. A town for our purposes is where the town clerk is. Because only one town clerk will be certifying each sheet, all the signatures must be from that town. For example, the villages of W. Barnstable, Centerville, Osterville, Cotuit, Hyannis, and Marstons Mills all fall under “Barnstable” because there is a Barnstable Town Hall and Town Clerk.
  • Fill in the town name in all three places on the form (one on the front, two on the back) before you ask for signatures. Double-check them before submitting.
  • Ensure legibility. If the town clerk cannot read the signature, it will be disqualified. You may ask the signer to print their name next to the signature. If you notice an illegible signature, you may ask the person to sign the sheet again. DO NOT CROSS OUT THE ILLEGIBLE SIGNATURE!
  • Handle copies carefully. If you must make copies, they have to be exact, double-sided copies (not shrunk). They cannot be two one-sided papers taped or stapled together. We can provide correct copies, so please call your town captain first.
  • Do not make your own copies if possible. You can reach us at Tom@StopTaxpayerAbortion.org, and your email will be forwarded to the correct town captain. We urge you not to make copies yourself, as signatures will be disqualified if papers are not printed properly.
  • Report your counts regularly. This is extremely important so we can track our progress. Without accurate tracking, we will fail.
  • No stray marks. Any stray mark will likely disqualify every signature on the sheet. If anyone uses the side of the page to get ink flowing or crosses out their town, simply put that sheet away and start a new one. Highlighting is also not allowed.
  • Don't wait to fill a sheet. Please only use half a sheet and file it away safely. The sight of a completely full sheet is satisfying, but it’s devastating to discover that same sheet has a coffee stain on it and will be thrown out.

Good Places to Get Signatures

  • Grocery Stores (especially Market Basket): Please call ahead and reserve/ask permission from the store manager.
  • Churches: Please schedule 2-3 Sundays in a row to ensure everyone has a chance to sign, then assist with other locations.
  • Outside Post Offices: Between 10-12 when they’re busiest. You’re never allowed to collect signatures inside the Post Office.
  • Home Depots: Great on weekend mornings; ask the manager.
  • Local Events: Fall Special Town meetings (one hour before start), local fairs, festivals, kids' sporting events—any place with crowds.
  • Door to Door: We will be forming teams for this important effort.

How to Collect Signatures

What to say? Speak fast and confidently:

“Hi, I’m collecting signatures to put the mandate that our taxpayer dollars fund abortion onto the ballot so we can stop funding abortion. Did you know your taxes go to fund abortion? Would you please sign?”

When they confirm, ask: “Great, what town are you registered to vote in?” If they are not registered, say thanks anyway. If someone is reluctant, you can reiterate it’s just to get it on the ballot. Be friendly and proactive. If someone wants to debate, say “thanks anyway” and focus on potential signatures. Resist the temptation to argue!

Recruiting More Volunteers

When you meet passionate supporters, ask them to help! Get their name, phone, and email, and pass the info to your regional captain.

Petitions & Check-ins

  • Give your signature papers to your town captain or regional director on a rolling basis. Don't wait until the last minute.
  • Check in every Sunday night: Send your regional captain the number of *new* signatures you collected that week, not your running total.

Social Media

Post on your Facebook page and tweet where you’ll be collecting signatures. Please share posts from Massachusetts Alliance to Stop Taxpayer Funded Abortion, MFI, MCFL, and other supporters.

Key Rules for Collecting Signatures

  1. No stray marks, writing, or highlighting on the petition!
  2. Be truthful about the petition at all times.
  3. Signatures must be collected from only one town per sheet. (Thus, registered voters from different towns cannot sign the same sheet.)
  4. Write in the three places on the form that need to have the town filled in, one on the bottom front, and two on the back. Fill in at least the front one before asking for signatures.
  5. If someone from a wrong town signs, then do not cross off the name. That signature is no good, but it does not disqualify the sheet.
  6. Signatures must be in blue or black ink. No flair pens. And no ink that will leak through to the other side.
  7. Any Massachusetts registered voter can sign. But only once. If the voter does sign twice, then do not cross out.
  8. There is no need to write in precinct or ward.
  9. There is no need to fill the entire sheet. It is best to collect 6 to 8 signatures per sheet and then, to safeguard it, start a new sheet.
  10. All sheets must be exact 2-sided duplicates of those produced by the Secretary of State’s Office. Thus, a one-sided sheet is invalid; a sheet where the reverse side is upside down is invalid; two one-sided sheets stapled together is invalid; and shrunken sheets are invalid. A sheet that is copied slightly askew is also invalid.
  11. The best place to collect signatures is outside supermarkets, especially Market Baskets. Other good places are outside churches. (Ask for the pastor’s permission first.) Additional good places are post offices (busiest between 10:00 and 2:00), and at town fairs. Go wherever there are crowds of people.
  12. After collecting the signatures, bring sheets to town or city clerk for certification of the signatures. (Must be done by November 17, 2021, but the earlier the better.) If you are unable to bring to clerks’ offices, then mail sheets ASAP to:
    Massachusetts Newborn Protection Coalition
    c/o Bernadette Lyons
    P.O. Box 116
    North Andover, MA 01845
  13. If you have signatures on sheets from distant towns, then you can deliver them to your captain who will arrange for their certification.

Any questions? Email to Tom@stoptaxpayerabortion.org

THANK YOU!!