Petition Drive

Primary definition

An organized effort to collect sufficient valid signatures to support an initiative, candidate, measure, or referendum.

Also known assignature drive · ballot initiative petition · BIP · petition campaign · signature campaign
1 sources cited4 related termsReviewed Aug 10, 2026
EAC Glossary of TermsView source
People also ask

What is petition drive?

The term Petition Drive refers to an organized campaign to gather enough valid signatures to qualify a candidate, initiative, referendum, recall, or other measure for official consideration or the ballot. It gives election, security, legal, or technical readers a specific label for the concept rather than a broader everyday meaning.

How is petition drive used in the petition process?

In election administration, Petition Drive is applied according to its defined purpose: an organized campaign to gather enough valid signatures to qualify a candidate, initiative, referendum, recall, or other measure for official consideration or the ballot. Officials then use the relevant eligibility, filing, ballot, timing, notice, or procedural rules for that election.

What rules commonly apply to petition drive?

In election administration, Petition Drive is applied according to its defined purpose: an organized campaign to gather enough valid signatures to qualify a candidate, initiative, referendum, recall, or other measure for official consideration or the ballot. Officials then use the relevant eligibility, filing, ballot, timing, notice, or procedural rules for that election.

Understand more election terms clearly

Get one important election term explained each week, with authoritative sources, practical context and related definitions.

Free. One useful email each week. Unsubscribe anytime.Learn more about the ESG newsletter →
EAC
U.S. Election Assistance Commission

An organized effort to collect sufficient valid signatures to support an initiative, candidate, measure, or referendum.

EAC Glossary of Terms · 2024

Cite this term

Permanent URL · stable across revisions
Election Security Glossary. (2026). Petition Drive. In Election Security Glossary. Retrieved August 20, 2026, from https://electionsecurityglossary.com/glossary/petition-drive

Sources

1 cited · last checked Aug 10, 2026

01

EAC Glossary of Terms
EAC Glossary of Terms

Single-source

View source

Get the weekly election term

Receive one cited, source-backed election explanation in your inbox each week.

Get election terms explained weekly →
Free · Nonpartisan · Unsubscribe anytime.
Continue Research

Keep going from here

Three ways to go deeper on election administration and adjacent terminology.