Petitions left unattended at the library to be signed cannot be valid petitions.  If they are legal petitions (such as nominating, recall, etc.) not just opinion petitions, then they cannot just LEAVE them.  The person circulating the petition must be a direct witness of each signature on the petition.  If someone opposed to the petition sees it lying there and signs it, he can then challenge the validity of the entire petition because he can sign an affidavit that his signature was not witnessed.  That invalidates that entire sheet, and could invalidate all petitions circulated by the person who then claimed to have witnessed all those signatures.  The circulator could also be prosecuted for fraud for signing at the bottom as circulator the certification that he/she witnessed each and every signature.  It is in the best interest of petition circulators that you NOT allow them to be left at the library. 
 
I do think it would be good to have a policy regarding the collecting of signatures at the library  - either allowing circulators to set up a table and signs, or banning them, or something in between.
 
Bob Frei


From: michlib-l-bounces@mail.mcls.org [mailto:michlib-l-bounces@mail.mcls.org] On Behalf Of Sheila Bissonnette
Sent: Monday, January 27, 2014 2:10 PM
To: 'michlib-l@mail.mcls.org'
Subject: [Michlib-l] Petition Policy

Good afternoon,

 

I’m looking for examples of petition policies for public libraries.  I’m finding a lot of examples from libraries out of state that basically say they do not allow petitions.  I’m curious if there are libraries around that allow petitions to be left in the library?  If so, what types of petitions are allowed?  

 

Thanks so much.


Sheila

 

 

 

Sheila M. Bissonnette, MLIS

Library Director

Pere Marquette District Library & Harrison District Library

 

Pere Marquette District Library                                                          Harrison District Library

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