Launching a Mayors for the Freedom to Marry petition? Read this first.

If you're reading this, you've probably noticed that your mayor is not on the current list of Mayors for the Freedom to Marry -- a broad-based and nonpartisan group of mayors who believe that all people should be able to share in the love and commitment of marriage.
More than 175 mayors from across the U.S. have signed the Mayors for the Freedom to Marry Statement, because they understand that the strength and health of our cities are enhanced when all families are protected and supported. And they know that many people in loving and committed same-sex relationships are active participants in improving our communities, and they've seen how important marriage has been for them and their families.
Here's how you can launch a powerful petition on Change.org, urging your mayor to join Mayors for the Freedom to Marry:

Start a Petition: Steps 1, 2 , and 3
Who do you want to petition?? This is where you put your mayor's full name.
What do you want them to do?? This is the action you want your mayor to take.
EXAMPLES:
- Mayor NAME: Join Mayors for the Freedom to Marry
- Tell Mayor NAME to Support the Freedom to Marry
- Mayor NAME: It's Time to Support the Freedom to Marry
Why is this important?? Write 2-3 sentences about yourself and why you want your mayor to publicly support the freedom to marry. Make it personal. Talk about your local community. Be encouraging and keep the tone positive. Here's more info on how to write compelling petition text.
EXAMPLE:
More than 175 mayors from across the country have joined the Mayors for the Freedom to Marry Coalition.
Unfortunately, Mayor [FULL NAME] isn't listed.
[Insert your personal narrative, explaining why you personally want your mayor to join the coalition. Make it compelling, but concise.]
The strength and health of our cities are enhanced when all families are protected and supported. Many loving and committed same-sex couples are active participants in improving our communities, and they deserve to know their mayor supports them, too.Furthermore, the freedom to marry enhances the economic competitiveness of our communities, improves the lives of families that call our cities home, and is simply the right thing to do.Please urge Mayor [FULL NAME] sign on to join the Mayors for the Freedom Coalition by signing this petition and sharing it with your friends, families and neighbors.



Filling in the Details
Click ?Edit your petition,? or click on the yellow bar that pops up once you?ve launched your petition to add in these critical details.
Target contact info: Add in your mayor's full name and email address so that every signature generates an email to your mayor. Consider adding multiple targets, including your mayor's staff (especially communications and press staff)
Why is this important? You can add more details to your story here. Perhaps you forgot something the first time, or perhaps you want to restructure your petition text a bit.
Petition images: You?ll want to use a clear, friendly photo of your mayor. Check your mayor's website for an official photo.



Advanced Options
Don't forget these!
Petition Issue ? select ?Gay Rights.?
Do not select a deadline, or, if you do, set it 6-12 months from today, as this will be the date on which your petition ends.
Signature goal: 1,000 is a popular goal, but if you?re worried about getting that many signatures, start with 500 (you can always increase this later).
Petition Letter ? this letter will go to your ?targets,? so don?t forget to proofread it. Since this is the email that will be sent each time someone signs the petition, make sure the tone makes sense. Think of it as an opportunity to speak directly to your mayor. Lay out a positive argument for why your mayor should join the coalition of mayors supporting the Freedom to Marry. Here's more info on how to write a good petition letter.
EXAMPLE:
Mayor [FULL NAME],
More than 175 mayors from across the country have joined the Mayors for the Freedom to Marry Coalition.
Within our own state of [STATE], [List Mayor Names and Cities] have already joined this coalition.
Unfortunately, I don?t see your name listed.
The strength and health of our cities are enhanced when all families are protected and supported. Many loving and committed same-sex couples are active participants in improving our communities, and they deserve to know their mayor supports them, too.Furthermore, the freedom to marry enhances the economic competitiveness of our communities, improves the lives of families that call our cities home, and is simply the right thing to do.
Please visit http://www.freedomtomarry.org/pages/mayors-for-marriage-statement and sign on to the Mayors for the Freedom to Marry statement. Your city is counting on you to do the right thing.
Sincerely,
Hit Save!

 
Getting the Word Out
Don?t forget, starting a petition is just the beginning of your campaign to urge your mayor to join Mayors for the Freedom to Marry. To really get the attention of your mayor, you?ll need to gather hundreds of signatures. How do you do this?
FACEBOOK: In addition to posting on their own Facebook profiles, many people start Facebook pages, such as ?Tell Mayor NAME to Support the Freedom to Marry? to update and recruit supporters.
TWITTER: If you have a Twitter account, tweet the petition and include @changeLGBT and #Mayors4M in your first tweet.
EMAIL: Don?t forget to send a personal email to your friends and family, asking them to sign the petition and spread the word.

 
Reach Out to the Media
In addition to recruiting supporters for your petition, many people have had success spending a few hours researching their local newspapers, TV stations, as well as bloggers who cover LGBT issues, and sending them a note about the campaign (their contact info can often be found right on news websites). Sending emails and making calls to local media can be scary, but it can also pay off big time if a reporter decides to cover your campaign. Reporters are often hungry for stories that show people trying to make change in their community, so don't shy away from trying to build media awareness about your petition -- reporters generally want to hear from people just like you.
 
Need More Help?
Here is a list of tactics broken down by different stages of the campaign.
DEVELOPING A STRATEGY:
Find your personal narrative (your story) and identify key messaging points
Identify potential barriers for the campaign and assets you can use to overcome them
Optimize petition text, target contacts, target letter, headline, and graphic
Brainstorm all of the different communities that would support your campaign

 
BUILDING CAPACITY:
Share your petition with friends, family and interested communities
Connect with bloggers and list-servs that can help you spread the word
Find "influencers" who can push your petition to a much larger audience
Bring in "local community experts and leaders" who can validate your campaign

 
APPLYING PRESSURE:
Widely email likely supporters and ask them to do the same
Create and pitch press releases to garner local media coverage
Organize social media bombs (targeting your mayor on Facebook or Twitter)
Organize a "letter to the editor" campaign to saturate local press coverage
Attend community events and explain why your campaign is important to you

 
UPPING THE ANTE:
Orchestrate phone banks or a call-in day, urging campaign supporters to call the mayor's office
Engage colleagues, local officials or high-profile donors who sympathize
Create a calendar of your mayor's public events and organize protests around them
Identify a media-enticing opportunity to deliver your petition signatures
Launch Facebook Ads targeting your mayor

 
Ready to get started? Start your petition today!
Want to join a Mayors for the Freedom to Marry campaign near you? Find active petitions!

Still have questions? Contact cameron@freedomtomarry.org.

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