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Campaigns start the petition push

Tuesday is the first day that candidates can begin gathering the signatures needed to get on the May primary ballot, and their campaigns were ready to hit the ground running even before the sun came up.

Candidate for congress need 1,000 signatures from registered voters in their respective parties who reside in their respective districts, while statewide candidates need 2,000 signatures. Each campaign has through March 9 to complete the process, and each campaign will be looking to collect significantly more than the required number, to avoid even the prospect of a legal challenge that could cost their candidate a spot on the ballot. Some experts recommend getting at least double or triple the amount of signatures needed.

Many campaigns have already been laying the groundwork for weeks, and some began reaching out to supporters for their help last week.

“Political pundits view the petition process as an indication of a campaign’s strength, and with your help, we can send the message that Dan is the candidate to beat in November,” Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dan Onorato’s campaign manager wrote in an e-mail to supporters. Onorato’s campaign is kicking off its petition drive Tuesday evening during an event at an IBEW Hall in Pittsburgh, where the candidate will rally supporters.

Onorato’s Republican rival, Attorney General Tom Corbett, was also reaching out to supporter for their help last week. “Circulating petitions is the first, and perhaps the most important task of any campaign for elected office,” a campaign staffer wrote to supporters. “And he needs your help to do this.”

Across the state, Democrat Bryan Lentz’s 7th District congressional campaign was mobilizing supporters Monday, with Lentz saying in an e-mail that canvassing drives will be organized over the next few weekends.

“This will be the first major test of our grassroots organization,” Lentz wrote, “so please come out and help us show that our people-driven campaign is ready to combat the negative attacks and corporate campaign cash that will surely be hurled at us during this election.”

And there’s nothing like free food to bring out the masses. Democrat John Callahan’s 15th District campaign was set to kick off its petition drive with a spaghetti dinner in Allentown.

February 16, 2010 at 7:45 am

--pa2010.com Staff

Tags: Bryan Lentz, Dan Onorato, John Callahan, PA-15, PA-7, Tom Corbett

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