Petitions have long been part of our political process. From petitions that demand a stop sign on your neighborhood corner to the required number of signatures to run for political office, we use signatures on a petition to show support and momentum for a cause. They have the power to change the course of history, facilitate democracy, sway gigantic decisions, or even urge Universal Studios to strengthen the environmental message in its Dr. Seuss story-turned-film, The Lorax.
Petitions were first used in China during the pre-modern imperial era and were read aloud to the emperor. A petition could be sent by anyone - from officials to peasants - giving China an element of democracy ahead of its time. Petitions also served as a popular form of protest and request in the British House of Commons. The most famous of these was the People's Charter in 1838, which stipulated that every man should get a vote (at the age of 21), that he should get to use a ballot, that parliaments would be annual and that the constituencies should be able to secure the correct amount of representation and choose who represented them and who made up their number.
Today the use of petitions continues to be common place in politics and due in large part to social media, the online petition has taken charge. Companies like Change.org offer tools to let individuals start their own online campaigns, a way to bring instant awareness to issues that range from the environment to human rights. These petitions spread faster than the emperor could have ever imagined.
According to a recent NPR article, Change.org was credited with obtaining high-profile virtual signatures from Ellen DeGeneres and New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees on a petition to lower the R rating on an anti-bullying movie as a way to give more teens access to the film.
At kglobal, we recently launched a petition for a campaign in Illinois. Not only did we attract 1,800+ signatures in less than a week, but change.org allowed us to target our audience as well as deliver notices to members of congress as signatures were collected.
Change.org reports that more than 35 million people worldwide are using the site, and more than 15,000 new campaigns are launched every month. As they state on their website, "Every day, Change.org members win people-powered campaigns for social change."
So, what are you waiting for? Start your petition today and help change the world one signature at a time.