What is this signature for?

You are likely here because someone asked you to sign a petition to get me on the ballot. Hopefully, this will answer a few of your questions.

What is this for?
I am trying to run for US Congress. To do so, Virginia requires that I gather signatures from 1,000 registered voters in Virginia's 8th congressional district.

Am I supporting you by signing this?
No. All your signature does is allow me to run, NOTHING ELSE. These signatures are sent to the Virginia Department of Elections to get me on the ballot. This list isn't public; you can vote, donate, or support whoever you want in the election.

Why do you need my help?
I'm running to make a point about some issues I care deeply about, primarily openness and transparency. I'm not well known and don't have a ton of money; I just want to have a conversation about data and technology in government. Before starting to discuss the issues, I first need to get on the ballot. That is why I need your signature. 

Transparency & Openness?
Yep, I'm a Data & DevOps Engineer during my day job, and I think that if the public had more insight into how government operates, many of the problems we face could be resolved. Example: I am the first candidate to ever instantly report all of my campaign donations (I'm also working on reporting my stock accounts & campaign expenditures). You can see all of my campaign's donations here.

Are you a Democrat or a Republican?
I'm running as an independent so that I can speak about the issues until November and avoid being knocked out of the election in the June primary. 

Additional Notes

• They do not sign you up for email lists, text messages, or anything else. I care about privacy. Learn more on my privacy page.
• If you aren't sure that your signature will work, please consider signing. If the signature isn't valid, the state won't count it.
• The last 4 digits of your social security number help the state match your signature to a voter record. It is optional, but it does help if your handwriting is anything like mine and less than legible.