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Guide
to Contacting Your Elected Officials
Know
who your legislator is.
There are several ways to obtain your legislator's name.
In Massachusetts, by phone, the State's Citizen Information
number at 1-800-392-6090 is the easiest reference to access.
Other references include the Senate Receptionist at (617)
722-1199, the House Lobby at (617) 722-2000, or your local
town or city clerk.
Contact
only your own legislator.
Contacting other legislators is not effective. Constituents
are their priorities and the legislator probably won't want
to spend the time and money responding to non-constituents.
Identify
the bill by number and description.
In just one session legislators can deal with up to 8,000
bills, and often several bills relate to the same subject.
Referencing the bill number with a brief description will
help avoid any confusion over the issue you are addressing.
Go
to Massachusetts
web site to find state bills
Present
your arguments reasonably
Never threaten or imply that you won't vote for the legislator
if you don't get what you want. Present your arguments politely
and request their consideration.
When
writing letters or emails:
Keep
your message as concise as possible.
Since legislators are very busy, the best way to get your
message across is to state your concerns clearly. One page
letters are desirable. Discuss only one issue at a time;
if you are concerned about more than one issue, write separate
letters to address these concerns.
Your
letter should include:
-The position you would like the legislator to take on an
issue;
-Why you would like your legislator to support that position--be
honest and informative;
-What the bill means to you or your community--personal
letters are always the most effective.
Use
your own words.
Singular, personal letters have more impact than piles of
form letters or prepared post cards. Legislators respect
the extra time taken to write an individual letter. This
is the most effective means of addressing your legislator.
Be
polite and use business etiquette.
Legislators will respect your letter and will address it
sooner if you are polite and formal in your letter. Prove
that you are knowledgeable about your issue as well. Be
respectful even if the legislator holds a different position
than you on the issue.
Address
your letter properly.
In the letter's address, refer to your legislator as "The
Honorable (Name)." In your letter's salutation, use:
"Dear Senator," "Dear Congressman,"
Dear Congresswoman," or "Dear Representative."
Include
your address.
It is very important to include your full name, return
address, and zip code in your letter. If you don't receive
a response immediately, wait a reasonable amount of time
and then write again. Your legislator may be very busy,
or could be waiting for additional information before responding
to your letter.
When
contacting your elected official by phone:
Use
the phone selectively.
If you are calling about specific legislation, find out
the bill number ahead of time. Know the arguments for and
against your issue. Again, be polite. This will gain your
legislator's respect for you and your concern.
Be
willing to talk with an aide.
Legislators often won't be in when you call. The available
staff members are knowledgeable, and often speaking with
staff will give you a sense of where your legislator stands
on an issue. Legislators rely on their aides to talk with
constituents and learn about their concerns.
To
meet with your elected official personally:
Make
an appointment.
The best chance you have to meet personally with your legislator
is write or call his/her office and schedule an appointment
to discuss your issue. It is difficult to meet with the
legislator one-on-one, but it is worth the effort to try.
You will at least be able to meet with a staff member by
visiting your legislator's office. Staff members are knowledgeable,
and are very influential in how the legislator votes on
an issue.
Invite
your legislator to meet with you in your district.
Try to set up a meeting with your legislator and a group
with a common interest on an issue. Almost all legislators
hold office hours in their districts and you will be able
to meet with him/her or an aide to discuss your concerns.
It is important to make your legislator familiar with you
and your concerns.
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