This may be a request that he become a legislative champion for the effort, that he simply lend his name to the initiative’s list of public supporters or sponsors, or that he serve on a board or steering committee for the effort. The reason it’s included in this list is that it can sometimes lead an official to work to change procedures, policies, or laws that discriminate against or make life harder for a whole class of people – veterans, farmers, widows, etc.Īnother purpose of this type of letter is to enlist the official’s support in a community or larger initiative of some sort. This type of letter often falls under the heading of “constituent support,” and concern individual problems with government – being denied military disability payments, for example, or being singled out for harassment by a local official. To ask an official to state her position on a particular issue, or to reveal her voting record.To put an official on notice that you and your group are watching his actions, and that he needs to take your votes into account at election time.To criticize an official for a past vote or action. To thank an official for support given, or action taken.To request a meeting to discuss the issue or some related matter of concern.To build your reputation as a thoughtful person in the eyes of the officials, and thus make your criticism or support more influential, or to put yourself in the position of the person to be consulted when the official needs information about your issue.To attempt to persuade an official to vote in a certain way on an issue, or to take other related action.To inform an official about an issue or situation, giving background and history that she may not have.To demonstrate to an official that his constituents are aware of an issue and have a real interest in the outcome.In any of the above cases, the letter may include information about the issue that the official may not have, or suggest an alternate course of action that she hasn’t previously heard about. To oppose a proposed law, policy, or course of action.To express support for a proposed law, policy, or course of action.To explain to an official how a particular issue affects you or your group. There are several reasons it’s worth your while, including: Maybe you're not convinced that writing a letter to your elected official is the best way to spend your time. A proper e-mail letter carries the same message – this person has really thought about this, and has put some work into sending his opinion. In the days before e-mail, officials generally considered letters more important than phone calls, because they took more thought and effort. A political communication, to be taken seriously, should send the message that you care enough about the subject to take some care in writing about it. A letter to your Congressman, whether it’s sent through the post office or electronically, should be formal and as well-written as you can make it. – virtually all elected officials, from town councils to the President, use and welcome e-mail communication.Īny guidelines for writing letters in this section – the style to use, the information to include – apply to e-mail as well. It’s fast, it gets read, and – at least in the U.S. In the last several years, e-mail has been added and become the medium of choice. Until a short time ago, you had two options if you wanted to contact an elected official: telephone and the mail. A well-written letter describing your experiences, observations, and opinions may help persuade an official in your favor. Your elected officials usually know what advocacy groups are saying about an issue, but they may not understand how a particular decision affects you. They want to know how their constituents feel about issues, especially when those issues involve decisions made by them. In this section, we will show you the best way to write a letter to your elected officials.Ī well-written personal letter may be the most effective way to communicate with elected officials. To get the best results, you will probably want to try several of the direct action methods discussed in this chapter. Learn how elected officials react to constituent communications, and how to create both printed and electronic communications to maximize reading and positive response.īy now you are probably looking for ways to get your issue noticed by people who have the power to help you.
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