Paid Petitioners After Prete

Publication Date: May 2006

Publisher:

Author(s): Andrew M. Gloger

Research Area: Politics

Keywords: ballot intitiative; petition fraud; paid signature collection

Type: Report

Abstract:

Paid petition circulation has long been a part of initiative process. However, petition circulators are often paid for each signature they collect, sometimes up to $10 per signature. Proponents of paid signature collection argue that reliance on volunteers would make it inordinately difficult to qualify propositions for the ballot. But paid signature collection has been criticized for allowing wealthy groups and individuals that are able to afford the high price tag to buy their way onto the ballot, and some believe it gives people who collect signatures an incentive to commit fraud. Some states have sought to restrict the use of paid petition circulators, or tried to require them to be paid by the hour instead of by signature. A recent ruling by the U. S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit appears to have opened up new avenues for such restrictions.