Contacting Your Legislators
Email
Many legislators have e-mail addresses that allow you to express your views on a given issue over the Internet. Your federal and state legislatures also operate web pages that offer easily accessible information on pending legislation, your elected officials, committee schedules and upcoming events.
Phone
Calling your legislators is an effective and fast way to communicate your message on given legislation. The principal advantages of a telephone call are efficiency and the possibility of two-way communication.
Generally, follow the same tips as for a letter.
- Do your homework before you call
- Be short and to the point
- Know your position, and if possible the opposing argument and why it is flawed
Most calls will be handled by the legislator's staff. It's just as important to express your position to a staff member as it is to a legislator. If time allows, follow up your phone call with a letter. In either case, after a vote on the legislation takes place, write to convey your pleasure/displeasure with your legislator's vote or action.
Mail
If you want your legislators to represent your views, you must first let them know where you stand. As a rule, elected officials most often learn about the view of the voting public through letters or faxes rather than face-to-face meetings. Today, more than ever, your legislators want and need to receive written communications from their constituents. And, as important as it is to develop a relationship with your legislator, it is equally important that you get to know the staff. To ignore staff members and insist on dealing directly with the legislator is self-defeating. The staff handles the detail work on issues and the legislators often rely heavily on their knowledge, expertise and impressions.
Legislators and their staffs pay close attention to their constituent mail - especially mail from business owners in their district. Share your thoughts and opinions on an issue with your legislator in a well-written, thoughtful letter. Three things to keep in mind as you write:
- keep it local
- keep it personal
- keep it concise
Letter-Writing Tips
When writing a letter to an elected official, addresses and salutations should be in one of the following formats: U.S. Senators:
The Honorable Jane Doe
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Senator Doe:
U.S. Representatives:
The Honorable John Doe
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Representative Doe:
State Senators:
The Honorable Jane Doe
The Ohio Senate
State House
Columbus, OH 43215
Dear Senator Doe:
State Representative:
The Honorable John Doe
The Ohio House of Representatives
77 South High Street
Columbus, OH 43266
Dear Representative Doe:
- Write on personal or business stationery that includes a return address - envelopes are discarded
- Make it brief: no more than a single side of one page
- Discuss no more than one subject per letter - don't dilute the importance of your main point
- Begin your letter by identifying the specific legislation, proposal or issue you are writing about. Include the bill number or title if possible. State whether you support or oppose the legislation and the rationale for your position. Mention your status as both a constituent and a member of the business community. Your letter should reflect the fact that you are aware of the main arguments against your position, and why you disagree with those arguments. Personal testimony - your experiences or the likely impact of proposed legislation on your business - is the best supporting evidence you can provide to a legislator; include any relevant information about your company or organization.
- Use your own words. Avoid slogans or phrases from newsletters or form letters. The Grassroots Network may provide sample language, but please adapt it to your own circumstances whenever possible.
- Do not overstate your case. Exaggeration will only discredit you.
- Express your opinion strongly - but never get personal, never threaten or be offensive. And don't mention Election Day - your legislators are already well aware of the political implications of disagreeing with constituents.
- Be timely. Write early, before an issue becomes big news and before the legislator takes a position. This allows time for a reply. The Grassroots Network will provide you with information about when is the best time to write to your legislator.
- Follow-up is the often-overlooked secret to developing truly constructive relationships with legislators. Ask your legislator to explain his/her position on the issue in his/her reply so you do not get the typical form letter response ("I'll keep your views in mind should this legislation come up for a vote"). As a constituent, you are entitled to know how and why these men and women take a particular position.
- Assure them that you will be following the issue and how they act on it. This will tell your legislators they can't "write you off" as someone with just a momentary interest in the issue.
- Encourage others in your business or the business community to write as well. Pass on your Grassroots Network materials to others if needed.
- Always send the Government Action Group a copy of the letter. This can greatly increase your letter's impact by strengthening and focusing our lobbying efforts on your behalf.
- When you have been asked to contact your legislator on a given issue, we will always let you know the outcome of the vote. When your legislators voted the way you asked them to, drop them a quick line to let them know you appreciate it. If you worked with a member of the staff, include their name (this may guarantee the legislator sees the letter). Follow-up is the often-overlooked secret to developing truly constructive relationships with legislators.
Follow-up tips
If you get a non-committal response . . .
- It's just as important to express your position to a staff member as it is to a legislator. Do not be surprised if a reply is non-committal. Many times, legislators will not take a position on an issue until the last minute. A strong, neutral position is the easiest posture for a legislator to assume because it requires no research and no thought, and is supposed to alienate the fewest voters. Thus, your best strategy is to get educated on the implications of the legislation and how it will affect you.
- Write back if the reply did not answer your questions, was ambiguous, or evaded the question by claiming the fate of the bill is in someone else's hands, such as a committee on which that legislator does not sit.
- In your brief follow-up letter or phone call, make two or three good points and restate your position and request. Remind your legislator that you are following the issue.
If you disagree with your legislator's position...Your follow-up letter should:
- Express thanks for the response.
- Express your disagreement, refute your legislator's arguments, and make a new point, if needed.
- Ask a question or two which will force your legislator to think about the issue and respond. Again, remind your legislator that you are following the issue.