There are only a couple of weeks left to gather signatures to get John Bonifaz on the ballot! We need 5,000 certified signatures from Democratic and unenrolled registered Massachusetts voters. Our goal: Collect twice as many as we need, to make sure that even if many of them are not certified, John will be safely on the ballot this September.

This weekend is a great time for you to help us reach this goal.

I spoke to some of our friends in western Massachusetts, and heard that they're planning to collect signatures for Bonifaz in Northampton and Shelburne Falls on Saturday night, and Amherst on Sunday. Want to join them, help out, and meet Bonifaz supporters in the valley? Or, want to collect signatures where you live, somewhere else in the state?

Read on... and tell us about your plans by posting a comment!

On Saturday evening, George Carlin is performing at the Calvin Theater in Northampton. As people line up before the show, Bonifaz volunteers will pass out flyers and gather signatures. The show's at 7pm, so signature gathering begins at 5:30pm in front of the Calvin. Then, on Sunday afternoon, it's Amherst's annual Earth Day festival on the Town Common, from 11am - 5pm.

To join, contact Darcy Sweeney at 413-586-6408, or just show up in front of the Calvin Theater on Saturday after 5:30pm and look for her.

Meanwhile, up in Shelburne Falls, Howard Zinn's play Marx in Soho is on at Memorial Hall on Saturday night - another opportunity to talk to people on their way in and get some signatures. Contact Susie Patlove at 413-625-9388, or come to Memorial Hall at 7:30pm.

[ Update: Bob Feuer from the Berkshires reports, "Pittsfield and Lanesboro supporters will be harvesting signatures for John tonight at a Deval Patrick house party at Rhonda and Shawn Serre's house." ]

Wherever you are in Massachusetts, you can gather them near your home. All you need is a clipboard, a pen, some petition papers, and some flyers for people who aren't familiar with him. Supermarket and mall parking lots, city parks, busy sidewalks, and any other places lots of people pass through, are good places to collect signatures - and it's more fun with a friend. If you need petitions or have questions, contact our signature coordinator, Pat Keaney, at 857-829-1882 or volunteer@johnbonifaz.com.

So, what are your plans for this weekend? Post a comment below. Perhaps someone nearby will see it and join you!