The First Amendment to the Constitution provides that “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech, … or the right of the people … to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” To this end, there is no question that “the solicitation of signatures for a petition involves protected speech.” Indeed, this kind of speech “is at the core of our electoral process and of the First Amendment freedoms-an area of public policy where protection of robust discussion is at its zenith.”
Download a copy of the 1851 Center’s petition circulation and signature gathering general constitutional considerations here.
