In Review: The Most Memorable We the People Petitions

Here’s how Americans used a first-of-its-kind digital government platform to exercise their First Amendment right.

The right to petition your government is guaranteed by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” -The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution

Under President Obama, the American people were empowered to exercise their first amendment right to petition like never before. We the People, a first-of-its-kind digital platform, gave American citizens a way to speak directly to the White House and become agents for change. We the People wasn’t the first online petition platform where you could build your own petition, share it, and collect signatures. But, it was the first one built by a government that gave citizens a reliable way to have a conversation with their government about the issues that mattered to them.

Once any petition gathered 100,000 signatures, the We the People team would work with teams across the executive branch of government to hunt down answers and draft a response. This wasn’t always easy. Petitions are not usually congratulatory, but are meant to call our attention to an issue that signers think we need to pay attention to, that we should weigh in on, or that we may hold an opposing position on than they do. While we drafted responses to these difficult petitions, they often prompted conversations at the highest levels.

We considered this evidence of the platform’s great success. Petitions, at their best, are a way for citizens to participate in the process of governing and have their voices heard.

From its founding in September 2011, We the People has gathered approximately 480,000 petitions, 29 million users, and 40 million signatures. We hosted hack-a-thons, launched an API, and saw a petition lead to a legislative fix that the President signed into law.

This platform offers one of the most direct connections between action and change in U.S. government, ensuring that that an Administration is not only open about the decisions it makes, but accountable as well.

Here are a few of our favorite We the People moments.