Despite how it may feel sometimes, we are our elected officials' boss. Their job is to fight for what us - their constituents - want them to. So make sure that what matters most to you is being heard.
We know the rhetoric..."lawmakers are fighting hard for us back at home". The reality is that they are actually working to keep their job. As such, listening to their constituents is actually very important. If the people who put them in office are happy...their chances of reelection are higher.
Every legislator's office has a system for logging correspondence and evaluating trends based on what they are hearing. Letting your congressperson know that you want them to vote a certain way on a bill or what issues you want them to fight for can actually make a difference. But the sentiments they hear have to be in large enough numbers to indicate that it is the majority of their voting block. Which is why letter-writing and calling campaigns are widely used...if enough people call or write about the same topic, your elected official will pay attention. It sill may not go in your favor, but you will have been active in the process and that counts for a lot.
So, what's the best way to contact your official? First, it is best to contact your local district office instead of the Washington office. The local offices are most tuned-in and most likely to record and log your messages.
1. Letter Writing: 95% of offices log all letters and email in an electronic database.
2. Phone Calls: 79% of phone calls are recorded and logged.
3. Faxes: 65% of personalized faxes are logged and 56% form-letter faxes are logged.
4. Social Media: Only 9% of Facebook messages and 6% of Twitter messages are logged.
Definitely write letters and make phone calls! Every office compiles a weekly report of the correspondence and it is shared among other party members as an indication of what is important at home and what voters are saying.
When you write your letter, be sure to let them know you are a voter in their district!
Contact information:
National Elected Officials:
State Elected Officials:
Local Elected Officials:
Now get busy writing and calling!
*Data provided by LegBranch.org study on effects of citizen advocacy and congressional learning
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