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Hints for Communicating with your Elected Officials

Communicating by Telephone

Calling is a great option when immediately trying to convey your opinion. Call your elected representative's office prior to an important vote to remind him or her how you would like them to vote. Representative's offices almost always count the number of calls received for and against certain pieces of legislation, and consider these calls an informal gauge of their constituents' opinions.

Communicating by Letter

Letters are one of the time-tested ways to communicate with legislators. Keep the following guidelines in mind when drafting letters:

Computer-generated or typewritten letters are easier to read.

Use your own words and refer to your personal expertise and experience when appropriate. A study conducted by the Congressional Management Foundation, which interviewed congressional staffers, concluded that thoughtful, personalized constituent messages have more influence than a large number of identical form messages.

Target a specific piece of legislation whenever possible, and reference the bill number and title in your correspondence. To maximize effectiveness, write to your legislators in the chamber (e.g. House of Representatives or Senate) in which the legislation is being introduced.

Be clear and concise. Address and discuss only one issue in each letter. Elected officials' staffers review hundreds of letters each week; covering an issue in short, concise paragraphs will help your effectiveness.

Know your facts. Providing inaccurate or biased data will damage your credibility, as well as that of EMPact America's, and it can diminish your ability to influence future issues.

Explain how the bill or issue affects you and your family. If possible, provide anecdotal examples. An issue's effect on local constituents and businesses will make your letter stand out.

Be courteous and respectful. If your legislators' positions contradict your own, acknowledge their views and state why you disagree.

Be constructive. If a bill or proposed solution is off the mark, offer alternatives or suggestions, in addition to your opinion.

Communicating by Fax and Email

When a bill is coming up for a vote, and there is not enough time for a letter or personal meeting, email and fax are the fastest ways to voice your opinion. The guidelines listed above for writing letters apply to these forms of communication as well. While personalized constituent correspondence is ideal, EMPact America also utilizes Voter Voice software to distribute Action Alerts, making it easy to e-mail your legislators. A message is pre-written according to the legislation, and with only a few clicks a message is sent.

Arrange a Meeting

Setting up a meeting at your legislator's office is a great way to build your relationship. Here are some tips for making your first meeting a success:

Be considerate of your legislator's schedule and time constraints. If you are meeting in your legislator's office, he or she may only have 15 to 20 minutes to speak with you. You must be able to state your views succinctly in order to leave time for discussion.

Be prepared (i.e., well-informed and well-organized). Understanding political issues is important, but your personal experience is a rich and persuasive asset.

Be attentive to your legislator's views. Each encounter should be an exchange of ideas, rather than a lecture.

Understand the basis of your legislator's views. They provide valuable insight into how you might support or change those views.

Leave a one-page summary of your key points when the meeting is over.

Follow up the meeting with a written thank-you note re-emphasizing your key points.

Write a separate thank-you note to the staff members who helped arrange the meeting.

Always send any information or materials you promise to provide.

For many reasons, you may end up meeting with a member of the office staff who handles the issue at hand. While you may be disappointed, don't be discouraged. Treat the meeting the same as planned; ask that your information be provided to the legislator and for him or her to follow up with you about the meeting.

Staying informed

Staying informed of your legislators' activities and positions is vitally important. Having EMPact on your side makes it easy and convenient to stay up to date. You can do this in a variety of ways:

Regularly (every month) visit your legislators' websites, as well as the EMPact website (www.empactamerica.org).

Ensure that your name is on your legislators' mailing lists to receive newsletters and position papers.

Read and take action when you receive Action Alerts�an indication that immediate action is required on an important issue.

Obtain issue papers and updates on EMPact America's legislative agenda by visiting the Government Activites section of the EMPact's website.

Always say thank you! Remember that your legislator's time is very important; a simple expression of gratitude is always appreciated, no matter how you do it!