Ways to Communicate With Legislators

There are several methods of contacting elected officials: letter and fax, phone call, e-mail, and by personal visit. Communication by any method can seem intimidating, but remember, the legislator needs your well-researched and organized thoughts to make decisions that will be appropriate and benefit you, your patrons, and your audience. Do your homework and take time to organize a persuasive presentation. Decide which method is the most appropriate under your circumstances and for your needs.  For more information, and opportunities to practice the "craft" of making the case of your organization's work to legislators, please contact Sara Cederberg, Grassroots Advocacy Coordinator, at 215-399-3522.
 
Letter and Fax

1. Use the proper address. Unless an important vote is on the table imminently, you should send or fax a letter to the elected official’s district office (the office closest to you), as opposed to his/her capitol office in Washington DC, Harrisburg, Trenton or Dover. You can find district office addresses in your Cultural Resource Directory, or in the elected official information listings on this site.

2. Use the proper protocol when addressing elected officials. Letters to members of Congress should be addressed as follows:

For United States Senators:
The Honorable [Full Name]
United States Senate
[District Office Address]

Dear Senator [Last Name]:

For United States Representatives:
The Honorable [Full Name]
United States House of Representatives
[District Office Address]

Dear Representative [Last Name]:

For State Senators:
The Honorable [Full Name]
Pennsylvania State Senate
[District Office Address]

Dear Senator [Last Name]:

For State Representatives:
The Honorable [Full Name]
Pennsylvania House of Representatives

Dear Representative [Last Name]:

If writing to a legislator who chairs a committee, salutations should read "Dear Mr. Chairman" or "Dear Madam Chairwoman."

3. Identify yourself and clearly state your purpose for writing in the first paragraph. Use personal or business letterhead as appropriate. Legislators need to know who you are to understand why the issue is important to you. If you are writing about a specific piece of legislation, identify it appropriately (e.g., U.S. House bill: H.R. [number] or U.S. Senate bill: S. [number]) in the first paragraph. If you need assistance identifying legislation, please contact the Cultural Alliance.
4. Be concise and specific. State your views simply and directly and speak with personal insight. Try to avoid clichés and be honest.
5. Focus on one issue. You will be more effective if you don’t cloud the message with too much extra material.
6. Keep the letter brief, preferably one page if possible. Legislators or their staff members do not have time to read long letters from every constituent.
7. Use solid examples, preferably from your own experience. Emphasize the practical benefits or problems of the legislation/issue, and if the bill will affect you personally (you, your family, your organization, your community) mention this and give personal examples. Personal stories are very effective.
8. Make certain the official knows you are a constituent. Constituents are most important to legislators and their opinions carry great weight. If you are not a constituent, your letter may not be read at all.
9. Remain courteous and appreciative at all times. Scolding or "preachy" letters and derogatory comments will weaken your argument and position.
10. Always include a return address and possibly a phone number. This helps legislators know where they can contact you if they need more information. Offer yourself as a resource for further information.
11. End the letter with a "Thank you for your time and consideration" and "I look forward to your response." This shows your appreciation and indicates you want a reply.
12. Make sure your letter is legible. Type your letter if possible, especially if you are sending a fax. This adds to the professional and serious attitude of your message; it shows you care.

E-Mail

E-mail is sometimes an effective way to communicate with a legislator quickly when timing is critical—maybe a bill is coming up for a vote in the next 24 hours—and your message is very brief. However, email is not recommended as a regular means of communicating with your legislators. Bear in mind that the governmental e-mail systems often get overloaded, often more weight and attention is given to letters and faxes. In other words, an email has a greater chance of getting lost in the crowd and less chance of being read than a letter or fax. Congressional offices receive a high-volume of e-mail on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday, so if you must write e-mail, try to send your e-mail on Wednesday or Thursday.  All the rules of writing a letter or fax apply to writing an e-mail. Don’t forget to identify yourself as a constituent and be sure to provide your mailing address. In regard to length, try to keep your message to one screen, and certainly not more than two.

Telephone

A telephone call is a quick and direct way to reach a legislator’s office. Be prepared to talk with an aide, rather than directly to the legislator. Provide all the necessary details to the aide.

1. Identify yourself. Anonymous calls will be ignored.
2. State that you are a constituent.
3. Focus on one issue. This is more effective than a long conversation about all the issues on your mind.
4. Be brief. State your purpose for calling in the first few sentences of the conversation. If you are calling about a piece of legislation, identify it appropriately. (Call the Cultural Alliance if you need help doing so.)
5. State your message. Be precise about the action you wish the legislator to take.
6. Include facts and personal experiences briefly. Stress how it affects you, your business, your organization, your community and provide examples. These personal examples are effective and important facts create solid debate.
7. Do not be scolding or "preachy" or philosophical in your approach. Be practical about the benefits or problems with the legislation to make your case. You are not likely to change any one’s personal beliefs with one phone call, but you can change their course of action if they understand the practical implications of the issue for you and your community. Be sure to emphasize the importance of arts and cultural institutions to the constituents of the legislator’s district.
8. Offer your services to provide materials or experiences that will support your position.
9. Provide a phone number and address where they can reach you for more information or to send a response.
10. Be courteous at all times and thank the aide or legislator for their time. Request a written response to your call. By being polite you are more likely to receive a response.