< Lobbyist Program >

Lobbyist gathers signatures for ballot initiative.

The Lobbyists of the Model Legislature and Court spend the first two days of the conference speaking in committee sessions to try to persuade senators and assembly members to support their positions on specific pieces of legislation. Although these positions were assigned to the lobbyists by program staff (meaning that they may not actually agree with the positions they are advocating) Lobbyists are given an opportunity to voice their own positions through the use of ballot initiatives.

Working in groups of two or three, Lobbyists write proposed ballot initiatives, collect enough signatures to qualify for the ballot at the end of the ML/C, and drum up support from probable voters. In recent years, Lobbyists have also been asked by the Youth Governor to craft specific ballot initiatives on behalf of the Governor and Cabinet. Results of the ballot initiatives are announced on the final day of the ML/C by the Secretary of State.

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