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NASW Member Petition Procedures as to Special Meetings and Matters for Delegate Assembly

1. Notice and Review of Proposed Petition

The organizer of a petition pursuant to Article IV.B.3.b. or XI.B. of the NASW Bylaws must notify NASW in writing at clorelli.nasw@socialworkers.org at least 30 days before obtaining signatures. The notice shall include:

  • Name, member number, and contact information for petition organizer(s)
  • Petition text;
  • Petition signature form;
  • Method(s) of gathering signatures, e.g., paper or electronic;
  • Address of host website(s), if any;
  • Method of validating signatures, if electronic (see below); and
  • Date the collection period will commence.
NASW will review this information and will promptly advise the organizer of necessary modifications if any deficiencies are identified. In any case, NASW shall retain discretion to determine whether the petition process complies with these procedures throughout that process.

2. Number of Signatures Required

Within a reasonable time after receiving notice of a planned petition, NASW will advise the organizer of the total number of current NASW voting members of record as of the last day of the month preceding the date of the notice. The number of signatures required pursuant to Article IV.B.3.b. or XI.B. (at least three percent of voting members of record) will be based on this figure.

3. Period for Collection of Petition Signatures

The petition will remain active for up to 90 days (the collection period) and must be submitted to NASW within ten days following the collection period. If the petition has not garnered the requisite number of signatures, total and by electoral region, within the 90-day collection period, the petition and signatures will be void.

4. Use of Association Resources

No Association resources, including staff, materials, websites, email or other contact lists, listservs, social media, etc., may be used to publicize or solicit signatures for the petition.

5. Subject Matter of Special Meetings by Petition

A special meeting of members may be called by petition (Article XI.B) to address any matter capable of being addressed by the members; provided that such matter was not on the agenda of (or otherwise addressed by) any member meeting that was held during the 12 months before, or that has been scheduled during the six months following, commencement of the collection period. Business transacted at any special meeting of members shall be limited to the purposes stated in the notice of special meeting.

6. Validation of Petition Signatures

Any petition conducted pursuant to Article IV.B.3.b. or XI.B must be submitted with information from which NASW can identify the member. In this regard, each signature shall be accompanied by the member’s full name, printed (as it appears on NASW’s membership records); date of signature; telephone number; physical address (at least city and state); and chapter, if different from physical address. The membership number shall also be requested. Each electronic signature shall be submitted with or from the email address in that member’s membership record, for purposes of verifying that the member in fact signed the petition. Only those individuals who are voting members of record from the date they sign the petition through the date it is submitted to NASW shall be included in the tally of valid signatories. In its discretion, NASW may contact any or all such members to verify their signatures. NASW retains the right to reject any signature whose validity is unverified.


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