Advocacy Tools: Legislative Advocacy

Your Letters Count

Your letter is a permanent record of your position.

In a letter writing campaign, ten, twenty or fifty letters can be perceived as a groundswell of support.

Timing is important -- your organization will alert you. If you write too soon, you may not capture the attention of the legislator, and if you write too late, the decision may have already been made.

Most legislators are conscientious about their mail and consider the views of their constituents when they deliberate an issue.

How To Write:

Write your own letter. Use you own words to express your thoughts. Do not use post cards. Use personal stationery or business letterhead if possible. Typed letters are easier to read, but handwritten letters are acceptable if they are legible. Use computers to generate the same personal letter to more than one policymaker.

State your reason for writing. Explain how the issue affects you and those around you. Remember the personal anecdote! Include a personal/family photo.

Use the Bill number, author and title, if you are writing about legislation.

Clearly state what action you are seeking -- support, oppose, authorize funding, etc.

Refer to research, data, statistics, etc. Give your legislator good reasons to support your position.

Be reasonable, specific and positive. Don't engage in threats or ask the impossible. Ask your legislator to state his/her position on the issue in a written reply.

Thank your legislator for the time and attention, for the support, for the vote.

Put your return address in your letter. Envelopes can be thrown away.

Send copies of your letter and any responses your receive to your organization so that they can maintain a file of all correspondence.

Write again. When you establish a record of correspondence you will develop clout on future issues.

When time is short send your letter by FAX or e-mail.

Send This Article To A Friend