1003

PETITION FORMAT AND APPROVAL

1003.1 The Board shall prepare and provide to the proposer at a public meeting an original petition form which the proposer shall formally adopt as his or her own form.

1003.2 Each petition sheet shall be printed on white paper of good writing quality of the same size as the original petition form approved by the Board and shall be double sided.

1003.3 The proponent shall reproduce, in accordance with § 1003.2, at his or her own expense, copies of the original petition form approved by the Board for use in circulating the petition.

1003.4 No petition pages may be circulated prior to the Board's approval of the original petition form.

1003.5 Each petition sheet shall contain the following:

1. (a) Numbered lines for twenty (20) names, designed so that each signer may personally affix the date signed and his or her signature, printed name, residence address (giving street and number) and election ward;
2. (b) A statement requesting that the Board hold an election on the initiative or referendum measure contained in the petition, stating the measure's serial number and short title;
3. (c) The text of the official summary and short title of the measure printed on the front of the petition sheet;
4. (d) A warning statement declaring that only duly registered qualified electors of the District of Columbia may sign the petition;
5. (e) Instructions advising signatories of the proper method of signing the petition as follows: EVERY PETITIONER MUST SIGN HIS OR HER OWN NAME. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES IS ANY PERSON PERMITTED TO SIGN ANOTHER PERSON'S NAME. PRINT YOUR NAME AND RESIDENCE ADDRESS IN FULL.
6. (f) The words "PAID FOR BY" followed by the name and address of the payer or the committee or other person, and its treasurer on whose behalf the material appears, in the right hand corner of the front page.

1003.6 The back page of each petition sheet shall bear an affidavit, to be signed by the person circulating the sheet and made under penalties of perjury, which contains the following information:

1. (a) The printed name of the circulator;

2. (b) The residence address of the circulator, including the street number;

3. (c) A statement that the circulator of the petition sheet was in the presence of each signatory when the petition was signed;

4. (d) A statement that, according to the best information available to the circulator, each signature is the signature of the person whose name it purports to be;
5. (e) A statement that the circulator of the initiative or referendum petition sheet meets the petition circulator requirements set forth in § 1005.1;
6. (f) The dates between which the signatures to the petition were obtained;
7. (g) A statement that the proposer of the initiative or referendum informed the circulator of the petition sheet of the law set forth in D.C. Official Code § 1-1001.14 (2011 Repl.);
8. (h) A statement that the circulator has not tendered any form of compensation to anyone as consideration for his or her signature;
9. (i) A statement that the circulator has not made any false statements to the Board of Elections regarding the initiative or referendum;
10. (j) A statement that the circulator has not made any false statements regarding the initiative or referendum to anyone who signed the petition.

SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 43 D.C. Reg. 103, 107 (January 12, 1996); amended by Final Rulemaking published at 47 D.C. Reg. 6977 (August 27, 1999); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 60 DCR 5582 (April 12, 2013).