HOW TO GET ON THE BALLOT

Welcome! Here's the Witching Hour's 2018 Agenda and Notes from 3/7: How to Get on the Ballot.

7:30-7:40pm - Updates + Announcements:

City:
City Council Meeting: Demand good governance! The Council has so far voted against creating a fair and transparent process for choosing our next City Clerk. << This has now gone to a committee that will figure out the best process for the city council to go about hiring a new city clerk.

Salem City Council also voted to officially support same day registration, early voting (which we already do in town) and automatic voter registration and sent that on to the state government.

State:

• Senate Bill S.2302 supports clean energy. It would ban the pipeline tax, stop new pipeline construction, further cut emissions and reduce fossil fuel usage. That benefits all of us and will cut energy costs.
• Massachusetts laws do not require tracking or testing of rape kits; This advocacy group wants to change that in 2018:
  http://endthebacklog.org/ + http://joinus.joyfulheartfoundation.org/page/speakout/write-your-state-senator
• State-level election process has begun! Keep an eye out for candidate forums and start figuring out your top choices. 9/4/18 is MA primaries!
  Candidates are still gathering signatures - including the Federal seats like Elizabeth Warren

National:
Beverly March for Our Lives Rally
March 24
Saturday, March 24 at 12 PM - 3 PM
Lynch Park
55 Ober Street, Beverly, Massachusetts 01915

• More than double the number of women are running for Congress than in 2016.
• ICE keeps losing federal cases.
• Small consolation: DACA program continues with SCOTUS rejection while awaiting appeals court.

7:40-8:20: How to get on the ballot information

 
City of Salem
Questions:
1) Ordinary citizens write up a ballot measure and go out and collect signatures from other ordinary citizens.
2) Once they’ve collected enough signatures, usually measured as a percentage of the voting population (In salem it’s 12%), the city government will verify the signatures to make sure real people signed the petition.
3) The proposal goes on the ballot.

Positions:
To become a candidate for local office, you must be 18 years of age or older, and be a registered voter in the City of Salem. If you are planning to run for election as a Ward Councillor, you must be a registered voter in that particular ward.

Candidates must go to the City Clerk's Election Office (room 5) to take out nomination papers as of March 1, 2017, and obtain the required number of valid signatures of registered voters in order to be nominated. The signature requirements are as follows:

Mayor - 100 signatures plus 20%
Councillor-At-Large - 100 signatures plus 20%
School Committee - 100 signatures plus 20%
Ward Councillor - 25 signatures plus 20%
Nomination papers must be returned to the City Clerk's Election Office by July X, 2019 the scheduled deadline for certification. All candidates for local public office will also be required to fully comply with the State Campaign Finance Laws regarding fund-raising activities.

Questions regarding nomination papers, running for public office, and campaign finance laws should be directed to the City Clerk's Election Office at (978) 745-9595 ext. 5617 or 5616.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Questions:
The Massachusetts ballot process for Questions to get on the ballot includes what feels like a dozen different types of petitions. After the language is complete, you need to petition to get the question on the government's radar, then yout petition needs to be approved. There are then two separate petition times where you will see people out gathering signatures to support putting certain questions on the ballot. There's a few things you need to know about this process...and this is definitely paraphrased for ease of understanding:
1. The petitions need a specified number of MA voters to sign the petitions, but you can't get all your signatures from the same county. It's possible to "max out" a county so that you aren't allowed to gather more signatures from there and must go to another part of the state.
2. When people sign they can only sign for themselves and must include a legible signature as well as their full local address (number, street, apt #), but if you forget your Ward or Precinct that's okay.
3. All signatures must be verified by local city clerk's offices before getting submitted to the state.
4. When all signatures have been verified and it meets or exceeds the required number for Massachusetts (this year it's 64,750) only then the ballot question actually goes to the polls. The group pushing can rescind their petition if they feel the government legislature has met enough requirements before polling day. Like, if they pass a law or ordinance about the ballot question that meets the petition's expectations before it's on the ballot.

Positions:
District and State-level positions require more signatures than local city or town positions. Anyone who wants to run for a position needs to meet the specified requirement for signatures, for instance, for Registry of Deeds it's 1,000 signatures + 20% (for wiggle room). Candidates with a certified list of signatures must then also fill out a 42 page document on their personal finances for the previous year and turn it in to the State Ethics Commission. After those are both complete then the candidate has reserved a slot on the ballot.

8:20pm-8:30pm
Call Seth Moulton + 202-225-8020
If voicemail is full: + 978-531-1669

Hi, my name is [NAME] and I'm a constituent from [CITY,STATE, STREET]. First, I'm calling to urge Rep. Seth Moulton take action to reduce the epidemic of gun violence in the United States by...[CHOOSE 1-3 POLICIES BELOW]
Closing the loophole that lets people buy guns at shows and through private sellers without background checks
Instituting universal background checks for ammo and gun buyers, a measure 80% of gun owners support
Removing the Dickey Rider from the federal budget and finally allowing the CDC to research gun violence prevention
Funding evidence-based community anti violence programs, like Ceasefire, which have been shown to reduce shootings
Second, I'm calling today to urge Rep. Seth Moulton to take a strong public stance against Trump's short-sighted tariffs on steel and aluminum, because a trade war will threaten the jobs and livelihoods of hard working Americans.Thank you for your time and attention. Lastly, I'm calling to ask Rep. Seth Moulton to support HR 2670 the Protecting Domestic Violence and Stalking Victims Act, and HR 3207 the Zero Tolerance for Domestic Abusers Act. Congress must act now to close dangerous loopholes in gun laws that allow perpetrators of domestic abuse access to deadly firearms.
[IF LEAVING A VOICEMAIL: please leave your full street address to ensure your call is tallied]

Call and thank our senators
+1 202-224-2742 (Office of Edward J. Markey, one of our Senators)
+1 202-224-4543 (Office of Elizabeth Warren, one of our Senators)

Hi, my name is [NAME] and I'm a constituent from [CITY, STATE, STREET]. First, I'm calling to express my opposition to HR. 38, the concealed carry bill passed by the House, and ask that the senator not let it be attached it to any other gun-related bill. This legislation would invalidate state-level concealed carry restrictions and make it difficult for law enforcement to verify whether a weapon is legally carried. Second, I'm calling to urge [SENATOR NAME] take action to reduce the epidemic of gun violence in the United States by...[CHOOSE 1-3 POLICIES BELOW]
Closing the loophole that lets people buy guns at shows and through private sellers without background checks
Instituting universal background checks for ammo and gun buyers, a measure 80% of gun owners support
Removing the Dickey Rider from the federal budget and finally allowing the CDC to research gun violence prevention
Funding evidence-based community anti-violence programs, like Ceasefire, which have been shown to reduce shootings
Lastly, I'm calling to ask the senator to support S 1539, the Protecting Domestic Violence and Stalking Victims Act. Congress must act now to close dangerous loopholes in gun laws that allow perpetrators of domestic abuse access to deadly firearms. Thank you for your time and attention. Thank you for your hard work answering the phones. [IF LEAVING A VOICEMAIL: please leave your full street address to ensure your call is tallied]

Paul Tucker, State Lower Legislature Representative
+1 617-722-2396

Hi, my name is [NAME] and I’m a constituent from [CITY, STATE, STREET]. I’m calling today to demand Senator Paul Tucker work to enact common sense gun safety laws. I support laws that would expand background checks, restrict access to guns for convicted violent criminals, and ban the sale of military-type guns and weapons. I’m disappointed at the lack of progress in gun safety reform by the federal government, now it's time for our state to take a stand and protect our children and communities. Thank you for time and attention. [IF LEAVING VOICEMAIL: Please leave full address to ensure call is tallied]

Charlie Baker, Governor
+1 617-725-4005

Hi, my name is [NAME] and I’m a constituent from Salem. I’m calling today to urge Governor Baker to reject any policies that restrict SNAP access, such as work requirements or drug testing. SNAP provides critical support to working families during tough times, and restricting access will worsen poverty and hurt local economies. Thank you for all your hard work answering phones. [IF LEAVING VOICEMAIL: Please leave full address to ensure call is tallied]

Joan Lovely, State Government Senator
+1 617-722-1410

Hello, my name is [NAME] from [address, city, state]. First, I’m calling to support the new omnibus energy bill, S.2302, that would ban the pipeline tax, stop new pipeline construction, further cut emissions and reduce fossil fuel usage. That benefits all of us and will cut energy costs. I support any bill that promotes clean energy, and I hope Senator Lovely will as well. Second, I’m calling today to demand Senator Joan B. Lovely work to enact common sense gun safety laws. I support laws that would expand background checks, restrict access to guns for convicted violent criminals, and ban the sale of military-type guns and weapons. I’m disappointed at the lack of progress in gun safety reform by the federal government, now it's time for our state to take a stand and protect our children and communities. Thank you for your time. [IF LEAVING VOICEMAIL: Please leave full address to ensure call is tallied]

UPCOMING EVENTS:
Choose two events and go to them before the next Witching Hour. Find a buddy, or a few and carpool.
Find all links to Facebook Events in our Google Doc: http://bit.ly/WitchingHourDoc or in the community page post of this agenda on the HausWitch website! (Posted the day after the meeting.)

3/8/18
Salem School Committee Meeting

3/8/18
City Council Meeting - Demand Good Governance / Reunión del Conc

3/8/18
International Women's Day 2018! Solidarity with Women Everywhere

3/10/18
Citizens Climate Lobby NS Monthly Meeting

3/10/18
ACLU Lobby Training

3/13/18
March Cocktail Resistance - Maria Collett PA12

3/22/18
Salem City Council Meeting
7pm City Hall

3/24/18
Beverly March for Our Lives

3/24/18
NE ENDOMETRIOSIS MARCH

3/29/18
Protest & Citizenship

4/3/18
Pizza for a Purpose 2018! - Salem Sound Coastwatch

4/4/18
Alice Merkl Registry of Deeds Kickoff
Adriatic 6:30pm

The Witching Hour is HausWitch’s attempt to help our community stay accountable for their activism. They occur the first Wednesday of every month at 7:30pm at the shop. They focus on a topic, project, or fundraiser. We call representatives, senators and other government officials from around the Salem, MA area about things we care about and donate to local causes. 

Can’t make it to The Witching Hour? Too far away? Thinking about starting your own accountability group? Two words: Do it! Email cheryl@hauswitch.com if you need a little guidance.