How Best to Contact your Elected Officials
The League of Women Voters encourages informed and active participation in government.
Composing your message:
Always be polite–speak or write calmly and concisely.
Address the person by job title: Dear Senator ________, Dear Congressman ______, Dear Representative______, Dear Mr. President ________, or Dear City Commissioner _____, Dear School Board Member ______.
Identify your issue in the beginning of your message and what action you want the government official to take. Put the topic in the first sentence, if possible, giving the title or the bill number of the proposed legislative action. Example: “Please vote against the bill that would open Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge (ANWAR) to drilling for oil.”
Address only one topic per message. Often the contact information is stacked up in pro and con stacks on a particular subject. You don’t want your second issue to be lost. Contact separately about it.
Put your name and address clearly within any written communication (perhaps phone number, also) or leave contact information clearly if you are required to leave a voice mail message when calling.
Tell why this issue matters to you personally. Be specific about how it affects you, your children, someone you know. Give details of the impact of the issue that make it matter to you. A personal message gets attention.