Grassroots petition for Rick Noriega for Senator

Many of Lt. Col. Rick Noriega's (photo of Noriega & sister) supporters have asked how they can show the overwhelming support for his nomination to be our Democratic candidate against Texas' Junior Senator John Cornyn.

Today, grassroots activists across Texas are launching a petition to put Rick on the March 2008 Democratic Primary Ballot. The election code gives candidates the option of obtaining signatures or paying $5,000 to qualify a candidate for the ballot. Many candidates opt to just pay the fee because it's the "easy" way to go. We're different.

Rick Noriega is building a grassroots campaign, and here's our chance to show the strength of the Noriega grassroots. Texas requires a candidate to obtain 5,000 signatures. We want to blow that number away, so we've set an ambitious goal: 25,000 signatures!

Here are the basic details about the petition process:
Who can sign? Any registered voter in Texas may sign. By signing, you are making an oath not to vote in any other Party primary or convention. The signer doesn't have to have voted Democratic in the past (or even have ever voted before!). The only registered voters who should not sign are those planning on voting in the Republican primary or attending a third party's convention.

How many signatures does it take? It takes 5,000 valid ones. To make sure we have enough and to show Rick's overwhelming support, we're going to set a goal of 25,000! What's our deadline? Filing begins on December 4th and ends on January 3, 2008. We'll stop collecting sometime during that period. We've got three months to make a statement. One signature a day and you'll be approaching a hundred!

Do people need to know their voter registration number? It helps if they write it in, but we'll look them up. If your local voter registration list is online, you could help by looking them up before you mail them in.

Do I hold them or send them in as I go? Please send each page in as you complete a page. The address is on the bottom of each one.

How will I know how we're doing? The campaign will periodically send an email to update you and we'll keep a tally on the website. There will be special recognition to those who obtain more than 100 signatures and a really special treat for whomever collects the most!

Most campaigns wouldn't even try this, but our campaign is different. Rick's support is deep and wide in Texas, and here's our chance to prove it. Not only are you helping to get Rick on the ballot, you'll also be spreading his message across Texas. That's something a $5,000 check to the Texas Elections Division can't buy.

Let's show Rick how many supporters we have out there by hitting this goal long before the deadline. Take it to work, to school, or to church. Go to your Labor Day weekend picnics and get signatures. Pass it around at any Democratic meetings or events. Let's reach our 25,000 signature goal!

Sincerely,
Donald Bankston, Richmond

Susan Culp, Grand Prairie

Marc House, Arlington

Linda Perez, San Antonio

Corinne Sabo, San Antonio

Rose Salas, Houston

Farrukh Shamsi, Houston

Kay Sweat, Lexington

Senfronia Thompson, Houston

Ella Tyler, Houston

Fran Vincent, Austin
Members of the State Democratic Executive Committee