Use your political voice.
Get to the people who are most likely to care what you think.
Tell stories that have impact.
How do you reach out to an elected official effectively?
- Call or email your elected representatives.
- One easy way to start and manage your calls is the web site "5 Calls" ( https://5calls.org, and they have apps both for iPhone and Android). If you put in your zip code, that will bring up your delegation and their contact information. The site also has issue summaries, direct links to call elected representatives, and even sample scripts.
- If your legislators are defending democracy, tell them you support their work. If they are supporting or enabling assaults on democracy, let them know how you feel.
- Be specific. Tell them clearly what you are supporting or opposing.
- Tell your own stories about local impact. Don't just repeat slogans.
Contact your Senators and Representatives.
Most calls and emails are tabulated by staff who give total numbers of calls/emails on each side of an issue to the Senators and Representatives. Those elected officials openly say that they care most about what they hear from people in their own state (Senators) or district (Representatives). Find your Senators or Representatives and make sure you use your address in their area.
- US Senate directory including emails, phones and mailing addresses: https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm
- US House of Representatives directory including emails, phones and mailing addresses: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
Tell a story with impact.
If you want to have the most impact, share a short, clear anecdote about how the issue you care about affects you and your neighbors locally.
Logical arguments or passionate language probably won't increase your impact; your view will just be tallied up (which still matters). But a short, pointed anecdote might make the short list of excerpts that staff prepares for the elected official (and might even make it into a speech). Legislators are asking for examples like:
- "I worked for X agency for Y years and I'm only 2 years from retirement. I was a laid off with no notice and now I don't know what to do."
- "My organization helps feed 500 families a week here in X town. Our grant was just cut and there is no one else to feed these families."
- "I've lived at the same address here in X town for 15 years and always voted. My voter registration was cancelled with no notice or reason."